Varanasi court to ASI: Survey Gyanvapi mosque, conduct excavations if needed

NT Bureau, Agencies

Varanasi: A court here on Friday directed the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a “detailed scientific survey” -– including excavations, wherever necessary -- to determine if the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple is built upon a temple.

The mosque's 'wazukhana', where a structure claimed by Hindu litigants to be a 'shivling' exists, will not be part of the survey -– following an earlier Supreme Court order protecting that spot in the complex.

District judge A K Vishvesh directed the ASI to submit a report to the court by August 4, along with videos and photographs of survey proceedings.

Hindu activists, who claim that a temple existed earlier at the site and was demolished in the 17th century, hailed the court order.