Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 9 (ANI): A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) reached the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi on Wednesday for the sixth day of their survey. Heavy security has been deployed at the Gyanvapi mosque complex as the survey is still underway by the ASI.
Earlier, an advocate representing the Hindu side said on Tuesday that the survey of the dome has not been completed. While speaking to ANI, Advocate Sudhir Tripathi said, ” It seems the survey of the dome has not been completed. ‘Tahkhana’ is also being surveyed. Without removing the rubble, photography and videography are not possible.”
As the fourth survey ended on Monday, Shubhash Nandan Chaturvedi, an Advocate for the Hindu side, said that the court-ordered survey is proceeding smoothly. “The ASI survey is proceeding smoothly… They are working technically with the help of machines and their units. ASI will call survey experts and teams from any part of the country if required. We just want evidence related to the temple to emerge in the survey,” the lawyer said.
On day-2 of the survey, the ASI team carried out a detailed study of the western wall, cleaned “Tahkhana”, and used the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) machine to understand the topography of the area. The scientific survey of the complex, adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, excluding Wuzu Khana, began last Friday, following the Allahabad High Court’s order, which allowed the ASI to conduct the survey to determine if the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday, August 3, dismissed the plea filed by the Muslim side, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, challenging the Varanasi court order allowing the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises, except the ‘Wazukhana’ area where a “Shivling” was claimed to have been found last year. (ANI)
