What is ASI’s Scientific Survey And What Will It Find Out at Gyanvapi Mosque | Explained

The court said the scientific survey will be carried out by ASI between 8 and 12 AM and clarified that there will be no restrictions on namaz and no damage should be caused to the mosque.

Varanasi: In a significant development, a Varanasi court on Friday granted permission for the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The court pronounced the order based on a petition filed by the Hindu side seeking direction for a ‘scientific survey’ of the entire Gyanvapi mosque premises by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). However, the court allowed the scientific survey of the entire premises except for Wuzukhana as the area has been sealed and the matter is in the Supreme Court.

The court said the scientific survey will be carried out by ASI between 8 and 12 AM and clarified that there will be no restrictions on namaz and no damage should be caused to the mosque. Moreover, the court ordered the ASI to submit its report by August 4.

What Scientific Survey Will Find Out?

• The scientific survey will find out whether the mosque had been built on an already existing structure of a Hindu temple.
• The ASI will conduct the survey and submit the final report by August 4 and the next hearing would be held on August 4.
• The survey of the three domes of the Gyanvapi complex along with the western wall and the entire complex in a modern manner will bring clarity to the situation.
• The barricaded ‘wazukhana’ is a structure that was claimed by Hindu litigants where the ‘shivling’ exists.

During the court hearing, Lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, said the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque dispute can be resolved only by an archaeological investigation of the entire mosque complex.

Turning Point In The Case

Jain further said the application for the ASI survey has been accepted and called it a turning point in the case.

“I have been informed that my application has been approved and the court has given directions to conduct an ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the Wazu tank which has been sealed. I think the survey can be completed within 3 to 6 months,” he said.

Plea Filed in Court For Scientific Survey

Earlier, the Hindu side had submitted a petition letter in the Varanasi court asking for an ASI study of the entire complex of the Gyanvapi mosque located in Vishwanath temple.

The petition was filed in May this year by five women who in another plea had earlier sought permission to pray at the “Shringar Gauri Sthal” inside the shrine complex.

Earlier on July 6, Hindu petitioners in the Gyanvapi case urged the Supreme Court to hear at the earliest a petition challenging Allahabad High Court’s order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a “scientific survey”, including carbon dating, of a “Shivling” said to have been found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi during a video graphics survey last year.

Petitioners wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court stating that the case was listed before the apex court on May 19, 2023, when it had deferred the implementation of the directions till July 6, 2023.

The Supreme Court had earlier put on hold the carbon dating of the “Shivling” saying that the implementation of the directions contained in the Allahabad High Court’s order shall stand deferred till the next date of hearing.

However, Allahabad High Court allowed the scientific survey of the “Shivling” in the premises of the Gyanvapi complex under the supervision and direction of District Judge, Varanasi.

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