Gyanvapi Masjid History, Travel Information, Hotels, Facts And More
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PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME
Gyanvapi Masjid
OTHER NAMES
Gyanvapi Mosque
COUNTRY
India
ADDRESS
31-24, Gyanvapi Main Road, Lahori Tola, Gyanvapi, Uttar Pradesh 221001.
GYANVAPI MASJID PICTURE
More Information
About Gyanvapi Masjid
Gyanvapi Masjid is a seventeenth-century mosque located in Banaras city of Uttar Pradesh, India. The mosque was established by Aurangzeb after demolishing an old Shiva temple located at the place. It has two minarets and three domes. The mosque remains a topic of controversy between Hindus and Muslims in the area relating to the right of worship at the place.
How To Reach Gyanvapi Masjid
The mosque is situated within walking distance of the popular Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Banaras. So if you are there, then a small walk will take you there. Other popular means that you can take are:
Bus
If you are going there by bus, then you can leave at the nearby bus stand like the Bhelupur bus stand, Sunbeam bus station, Lanka Bus stop, and Kashi Bus Stop. Many local transport options like rickshaw, and auto-rickshaw are available to take you to the desired destination.
Train
If you prefer to go by train then you can reach the train station including Kashi station, Varanasi City station, Varanasi Bypass Cabin, and Varanasi Junction. After leaving your train, you have to take local transport whichever is suitable to reach the place conveniently.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Gyanvapi Masjid
- According to Hindu claims, the site belongs to Vishweshwar Temple which was constructed by Todar Mal in association with Narayana Bhatta in the late 16th century. Also, Vir Singh Deo Bundela refurbished the temple in the early seventeenth century. But when Aurangzeb came into power, he ordered the demolition of the temple and the construction of the mosque which is located at the place. They also claim that the plinth of the temple is the same but is now converted into the courtyard of the mosque and the southern wall is turned into a qibla wall.

- There is an adjoining well that is located in between the premises of the temple and mosque. According to some legends, the well was dug by Lord Shiva himself to cool the lingam.

- Some scholars claim that Aurangzeb demolished the temple for political reasons not for religion. As the temple became the center of the political rebellion so the ruler ordered the demolition as a message to the zamindars of Banaras and local Brahmins.
- Many efforts are made since the early 18th century by Marathas including Nana Fadnavis, and Malhar Rao Holkar to demolish the mosque and construct the Vishweshwar temple but the plans did not work. The Marathas' political rivals Nawabs of Lucknow intervened from time to time. Also, the British authorities feared the outbreak of communal riots so didn't allow such action.
- According to Hindu claims, the temple was repeatedly demolished by several invaders and was reconstructed again and again. The first time, it was demolished by Qutb-al-Din Aibak in the late 12th century. A Gujarati merchant when Iltutmish was in power rebuilt the temple but was again demolished by Sikandar Lodhi. Once again, it was rebuilt by Raja Man Singh but was not accepted by orthodox Brahmins as Man Singh's daughter was married to a Muslim ruler. Raja Todar Mal reconstructed the temple but this time again it became a victim of Aurangzeb's conspiracy. They alleged that the site is actually Kashi Vishwanath temple and the temple now exists constructed on the adjacent property by Maratha ruler, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore.

- However, Muslim claims are just the opposite to it. They alleged that the stories presented by Hindus are not true. Three types of theories are given by them to claim the property belongs to the Mosque. The first theory says that the property was not the temple, in fact, it was a structure of the Din-i-ilahi faith. As Aurangzeb was against Akbar's heretical thought school, he ordered the destruction of the site. The second theory says that the temple was destroyed by a Hindu ruler name Jnan Chand as the priest had looted and violated one of his female relatives. The third story claims that the temple became a hub of political rebellion so Aurangzeb destroyed it not for any religious reason.
- The place is a witness of several bloody rebels between both the communities including in the early nineteenth century when the festivals of Holi and Muharram fell on the same day. A cow was killed by a Muslim mob and its blood was spread into the sacred well which hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and communal riots started causing several deaths and property damage.
- The tension regarding the right of the property again started in 1984 when Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) claimed the sites of the mosques which were constructed after the demolition of Hindu temples to be returned to the Hindu community. A case was filed by Hindus in 1991 after the demolition of the Babri mosque though it remained pending for 22 years. A petition was again filed regarding the right to offer water to lingams that existed on the mosque premises. A survey from a five-member committee belonging to the Archaeological Survey of India is ordered by the court on April 8, 2021. However, the order was challenged by UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, Varanasi.

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