Lord Shiva idol found in a well located in Gyanvapi mosque complex, lawyer claims

Advocates of the Hindu side have claimed that a 'Shivling' (idol of Lord Shiva) has been found inside a well of Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. The claim was made as court-mandated videography took place on third consecutive day.

Lawyer Vishnu Jain said that he would go to civil court to seek protection of the idol.

An advocate from the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, claimed that the shivling is Nandi faced.

"The shivling is 12 feet by 8 inches in diameter," he added.

Heavy security was deployed at the complex as court-appointed committee reached spot to carry out the survey on Monday (May 16). On Sunday, nearly 65 per cent of the exercise was completed.

On Sunday, the survey of the areas of the mosque which, according to lawyers Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Jain, used to be a part of the temple, was done.

On the western wall of the Gyanvapi complex, the remains of Hindu temple demolition are visible and the pictures will be surveyed. For this, the fourth lock was opened on Monday, while the first three rooms were opened during the survey on Saturday.

What is the Gyanvapi mosque issue?

Gyanvapi Mosque is near the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the holy city Varanasi. The mosque is currently facing a legal battle. A court in Varanasi has directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to probe the structure of the Gyanvapi Masjid.

The Hindu side wants permission to worship in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex daily. It has demanded videography of the structure to support its claim that in order to prove the existence of Shringar Gauri (a Hindu deity) idol, entry into the mosque is necessary.

The Muslim side, which is, Anjuman Intezamiya Masajid (mosque management committee) says that the idol of Shringar Gauri is on the western side of the mosque.

It is claimed that the temple was built more than two thousand years ago. The claim says that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb demolished the Hindu temple and built a mosque.

Five Delhi-based women -- Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu and others moved the court with their plea on April 18, 2021, seeking permission for daily prayers before the idols of Hindu deities.

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