Gyanvapi: Hindus Allowed to Offer Prayers at Vyas Ka Tehkhana | Top Points

Varanasi: In what comes as a big win for the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday has given permission to the Hindu devotees to perform puja and offer prayers in the basement of the Gyanvapi complex after 31 years. Puja is set to begin in seven days.

The case pertains to Somnath Vyas’ basement, where his family used to perform puja till 1993. However, following the state government’s order, the worship was stopped in the basement. The basement was cleaned during the scientific survey on the mosque premises by the Archaeological Survey of India last year.

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi mosque, on a plea challenging a Varanasi court's refusal to direct the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey of the 'wazukhana' area in the mosque complex.

Key Highlights of the Court Order

• The order was passed by Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal on a revision petition filed by Rakhi Singh, who is one of the plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri worshipping suit, which is presently pending before the Varanasi district court.
• In the application she had filed before the Varanasi court, Singh's primary contention was that the survey of the 'wazukhana', excluding its portion where a 'Shivling' was claimed to be found, is necessary to ascertain the religious character of the property in question. 'Wazukhana' is where ablutions are performed before offering namaz.
• The district judge court had rejected Singh's application on October 21, 2023.
• The judge had observed that in an order passed on May 17, 2022, the apex court had directed to protect the area where the 'Shivling' is stated to have been found and therefore, it is not proper to direct the ASI to survey the area.
• In High Court, Justice Manish Nigam earlier withdrew himself from hearing the case. On Wednesday, it was listed before justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal after nomination by the chief justice.
• The Varanasi district court had on July 21 last year directed the ASI to conduct a "detailed scientific survey" - including excavations, wherever necessary - to determine if the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple was built on the remain of a temple.