In the wake of the recent Gyanvapi verdict by the Varanasi district court, which granted permission to Hindus to offer prayers at a basement known as Vyas ka Tahkana, Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, announced that aarti (ritualistic worship) will now be conducted five times daily at the designated site.
The district court’s decision stirred controversy as the Muslim side raised questions about the expeditious initiation of puja (prayers) inside Gyanvapi, mere hours after the court granted permission. Vishnu Shankar Jain took to social media to outline the scheduled timings for the aarti at Vyas ka Tahkhana, which has historical significance as it belonged to the Vyas family.
“Timings for Aarti at Vyas cellar: Mangla – 3:30 am, Bhog – 12 pm, Apranh – 4 pm, Sanykaal – 7 pm, Shayan – 10:30 pm. 2 done so far,” Jain stated in a post.
Jitendra Nath Vyas, a member of the Vyas family, expressed joy at the court’s decision, highlighting that he was pleased to resume prayers at the tahkhana. Gyanvapi mosque consists of four ‘tahkhanas’ (cellars), with one still in the possession of the Vyas family, who historically lived there. The court granted permission for hereditary pujari (priest) Jitendra Nath Vyas to enter the tahkhana and resume offering prayers.
The Varanasi district court issued the order on Wednesday, instructing that arrangements for Hindu prayers be made within seven days. However, the gates of Vyas ka Tahkhana were opened late on Wednesday night, and the first puja was conducted at approximately 3:30 am.
The Muslim side raised concerns about the apparent haste in which the administration implemented the court order, accusing them of collusion with the plaintiffs. The mosque committee swiftly moved the Allahabad High Court, challenging the Varanasi district court’s decision.
In a statement, the mosque committee questioned the urgency of the administration’s actions, stating, “There is no reason for the administration to undertake this task in hot haste in the dead of the night, as the order passed by the Trial Court had already given them one week to make the necessary arrangements.”
Allegations of collusion between the administration and the plaintiffs were made, suggesting a deliberate attempt to preempt any legal remedies sought by the Mosque Managing Committee against the court’s decision.
The Vyas family claimed to have conducted prayers in the tahkhana until December 1993, when the authorities closed the cellar. Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas revealed that his maternal grandfather, Somnath Vyas, used to perform prayers there until 1993. The recent developments have reignited the long-standing dispute over the Gyanvapi mosque, sparking debates on religious harmony and legal processes.
Sources By Agencies
