The Varanasi Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track Court, led by Judge Jugal Shambhu, has set September 6 as the next hearing date for a petition calling for an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examination of the remaining areas of the Gyanvapi complex.
The court’s decision came after considering submissions from the Hindu representatives, who argue that further exploration of the site is necessary to uncover historical and religious significance purportedly concealed within the complex’s structures.
Advocate Madan Mohan Yadav, representing the Hindu petitioners, elaborated on their claims during the hearing. “The original site of the Jyotirlinga is believed to be directly beneath the dome of the existing structure, which is currently identified as a mosque by the Muslim community,” Yadav stated. He further explained the significance of the site in Hindu culture, highlighting the ‘Argha’ where water, believed to impart wisdom upon consumption, historically flowed into the Gyanvapi Kund, making the location a revered ‘Gyanudaya Tirtha’—a pilgrimage site of enlightenment.
The Hindu petitioners have urged the court to authorize a detailed investigation by specialists in water engineering, geology, and archaeology. They hope to analyze the composition and source of the water at the site and examine the object recently discovered there, which they claim is a ‘Shivling’. The Muslim representatives, however, contend that the object is a ‘wuzukhana’, a fountain used for ritual washing before prayers.
The upcoming hearing is anticipated to see the Muslim side presenting their perspective and arguments against the survey, setting the stage for a significant judicial determination on the historical and religious assertions linked to the Gyanvapi complex.
