Gyanvapi Truth: ASI Survey Finds Current Structure Built On Parts of Pre-existing Temple

New Delhi: In a significant development surrounding the Gyanvapi controversy, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted its findings to the court, shedding light on the historical layers embedded within the structure. Sharing crucial details from the ASI report during a press briefing on Thursday, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, stated, the findings not only confirm the presence of a significant Hindu temple at the site, but also reveal the intricate interplay of architectural elements between the pre-existing temple and the mosque.

According to Jain, “the ASI survey uncovered a wide well adjacent to a corridor within the Gyanvapi Mosque”. One of the most startling revelations from the report, however, is “the reuse of temple pillars and plasters in the construction of the refurbished mosque”. Jain emphasized that “parts of the original temple structure were incorporated into the complex [a site that has been at the center of controversy]”.

“A minute study of pillars and plasters in corridors suggests that they were originally part of a pre-existing Hindu temple… Vyala figures carved on either side of the lotus medallion were mutilated, and after removing the stone mass from the corners, that space was decorated with floral design”, news agency ANI quoted Jain as saying.

"The pillars of the temple have been used in the structure of the mosque. It can be said that there was a big Hindu temple here," Jain asserted during the press conference. “The lotus symbol on the walls was removed and plastered over”, Jain further revealed.

“The ASI has said that during the survey, a number of inscriptions were noticed on the existing and pre-existing structure. A total of 34 inscriptions were recorded during the present survey and 32 stamped pages were taken”, Jain told ANI, adding, “These are, in fact, inscriptions on the stone of a pre-existing Hindu temple which have been reused during the construction and repair of the existing structure. These include inscriptions in the Devanagari, Grantha, Telugu and Kannada scripts".

“The reuse of earlier inscriptions in the structure suggests that the earlier structures were destroyed and their parts were reused in the construction repair of the existing structure”, Jain further revealed, as he mentioned that “Three names of deities –  Janardana, Rudra and Umeshwara – were found in these inscriptions”.

The ASI report, which was only recently submitted to the court, is a crucial document in the legal proceedings surrounding the controversial Gyanvapi Complex. The latest revelations from the ASI report –  of a well and the incorporation of temple elements in the mosque's construction –   are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative and further investigation into the rich history of the Gyanvapi site.