By Vandana Jhingan

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has officially affirmed the historical significance of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple site, revealing compelling evidence of a grand Hindu temple that predates the Gyanvapi mosque constructed by Aurangzeb in 1669. The ASI findings, released on January 25, 2024, emphasize the remnants of the temple visible in the foundation, columns, and rear part of the existing mosque.

Citing ancient Hindu scriptures such as Skanda Purana and Brahma Vaivarta Purana, the temple held profound spiritual value as one of the twelve ‘self-manifested’ Jyotirlingas, a manifestation of Shiva. The ASI survey highlights key points:
• An Arabic Persian inscription in a room dating the mosque’s construction to the 20th regnal year of Aurangzeb.
• Discovery of 32 inscriptions in Devanagari, Grantha, Telugu, and Kannada scripts, featuring names of deities such as Janardana, Rudra, and Umeshwara.
• Identification of pillars from the pre-existing temple repurposed in the mosque’s construction. • Confirmation that the central structure of the former temple is now utilized as the hall of the current mosque.

In response to the ASI report, Ajay Shah, President of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), remarked:

“Today’s ASI report substantiates what is evident to any visitor to the temple site. It is now imperative for the Muslim community to facilitate the handover of the entire Kashi Vishwanath Temple land to Hindus for the restoration of the sacred Shiva temple. Just as the inauguration of the Shree Ram Janma Bhoomi temple in Ayodhya reaffirms our resilience, Hindus worldwide are committed to reclaiming what is rightfully ours. VHPA will spearhead a movement in the US to raise awareness and support for the prompt reconstruction of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.”
Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), added:

“The overwhelming response to
our celebration of the Shree Ram Mandir construction demonstrates the unity among American Hindus in restoring sacred places of
worship. Over 800 temples joined VHPA as partners in celebrating the consecration of Shree Ram Mandir earlier this week. VHPA plans a nationwide car rally to distribute prasad (sacred offerings) from the Ram Mandir to partner temples, utilizing this occasion to garner further support for the immediate
reconstruction of the Kashi
Vishwanath temple.”