VARANASI/NEW DELHI: On a day when the Supreme Court is to resume hearing in the Gyanvapi Mosque case in Varanasi , a survey-finding commission report has stated that not just a Shivling but as many as four idols of Hindu gods and goddesses and a Sheshnag have been discovered during digging between barricading of Kashi Vishwanath Mandir and Gyanvapi Mosque.
These items were found as part of temple rubble during digging and survey commissioned by the Varanasi civil court.
“While walking from north towards east direction of the mosque, there is an artefact that resembles Sheshnag, the mythological serpent on whom Lord Vishnu is said to be resting in religious texts. Next to this signboard, there are four such idols recovered which have vermillion affixed to them. There’s also an earthen lamp-resembling object found which had some flowers,” the report has said.
These discoveries were made at around 4 pm on May 6 by the fact-finding team. The survey on that day went for about one-and-half hour and had resumed at 3 pm the following day , the report has said.
The report has been authored by Ajay Kumar Mishra, who is part of the survey team that comprises both Hindus and Muslims.
In his report, Mishra has said that May 7 survey began after a long wait by the Muslim member of the commission.
The report also said that behind these items, there is more temple rubble between the east-facing door of the mosque and the barricade
“There is a boulder which seems to be part of the same temple belongings,” the report has said.
In his report, Mishra said that he enquired about the origin of these four idols as well as one facade of a doorpost. The enquiry has so far suggested that these idols and facade belong to one Shringar Gauri Mandir.
Earlier, on Monday, a civil judge had decreed that entry of Muslims would be barred from a site inside Gyanvapi mosque complex while citing the discovery of a 12 x 8 feet Shivling — a representation of Hindu Lord Shiva — three days after a four-member survey team was formed to video-graph the inspection of the complex.