Following the Babri mosque, a petitioner claimed that the famed Gyanvapi masjid in Varanasi was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 16th century by demolishing a temple. The petitioner requested that the Archeological Survey of India conduct a complete survey of the complex.
Both sides of the debate reacted angrily to the survey decision. The Supreme Court refused to award an interim order of status quo on the survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday (May 13, 2022), noting that the study will be videotaped.
However, this isn't the first time the Gyanvapi mosque has been involved in a debate; the masjid has been a source of contention since 1194. Here are some fascinating facts about the history of Gyanvapi Masjid.
The Gyanvapi controversy of 1936
According to court records, in 1936, a trial was held to determine the legality of the Gyanvapi mosque, which included Professor Altekar's testimony.
Professor Paramatma Sharan, a Banaras-born historian, made a declaration on behalf of the British Government on 14 May 1937, in which he produced portions from the historian of Aurangzeb's time, 'Ma Asire Alam Giri,' which claimed that Gyanvapit Mosque was a temple in the 16th century.
According to the Hindu side's legal history lawyer, Vijay Shankar Rastogi, historical facts mentioned in general history books are recognised as evidence under Section 57 (13) of the Indian Evidence Act.
According to the Indian Evidence Act 1872, historical reports of Altekar and Chinese explorer Hiuen Tsang mention a temple and a hundred-foot-long Shiva Linga.