The Allahabad High Court on May 12 allowed a revision petition demanding a scientific survey to determine the age of the purported Shiv Ling found inside the Varanasi-based Gyanvyapi mosque. The survey will be done by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which, in its affidavit submitted in the court, maintained that it cannot do carbon dating of the structure due to technical reasons but offered to do the carbon dating of the embedded portions of the Shiv Ling along with some other ways like Ground Penetration Radar (GPR), excavation to name a few.
The case pertains to a revision plea moved by Lakshmi Devi and three others who have challenged the Varanasi court’s order of October 14, 2022, wherein the local court had rejected Hindu worshippers’ plea for conducting a scientific survey of the Shiv Ling to determine its age. The petitioners urged the High Court that it should direct the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the structure through possible methods which shouldn’t damage the structure but determines its possible age.
The management of the Gyanvyapi mosque — Anjuman Masjid committee — maintained that there is no Shiv Ling inside the mosque and the structure is actually a fountain which was erected near the place they use to wash hands and feet before offering namaaz.
