Aurangzeb, the Mughal tyrant, had issued ‘farmans’ ordering the destruction of Hindu temples in Kashi, Mathura, and Kalkaji
*Paromita Das
On May 16, a Shivling was discovered inside the disputed Gyanvapi structure during a videography survey. Devotees have been celebrating the confirmation of their long-held belief in the Shivling’s presence inside the structure since the news broke.
The Gyanvapi Mosque complex is a contentious structure built over the ruins of the desecrated old Kashi Vishwanath Temple by Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb.
Attacks on Kashi Vishwanath began soon after Islamic invaders arrived in India. In the 12th century, Qutb al-Din Aibak was the first to attack it.
Even though the temple’s peak was damaged in the attack; Puja ceremonies continued there. According to legend, the sacred Hindu temple was destroyed on the orders of Mohammad of Ghori.
During the reign of Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517), the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir was demolished once more. Evidence suggests that Sikandar Lodi was behind the invasion of Kashi Vishwanath.
Aurangzeb, the Mughal tyrant, carried out the ultimate assault on the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1669 CE. He demolished the temple and built the Gyanvapi Masjid in its place. The foundation, columns, and rear section of the mosque still contain remnants of the former mandir.
In 1780, the great Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore built the Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex, which is adjacent to the disputed mosque complex and where devotees can do puja and prayers.
According to the Islamic record of Maasir-i-Alamgiri, Aurangzeb issued a ‘farman’ decree on April 9, 1669, “to governors of all the provinces to demolish the schools and temples of the infidels and strongly put down their teachings and religious practises.”
In 1780, the great Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore built the Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex, which is adjacent to the disputed mosque complex and where devotees can do puja and prayers.
According to the Islamic record of Maasir-i-Alamgiri, Aurangzeb issued a ‘farman’ decree on April 9, 1669, “to governors of all the provinces to demolish the schools and temples of the infidels and strongly put down their teachings and religious practises.”
This is also mentioned in the Varanasi Gazetteer, which was published in 1965. On page 57, it is clearly stated that on April 9, 1669, Aurangzeb issued a decree to his governors to destroy the Hindu temples and schools in Kashi (Varanasi).
Former General Secretary of the Banaras Bar Association, Nityanand Rai, who is independently researching Varanasi’s history, stated that gazetteers are considered the most authentic as well as official documents about the districts and states. The gazetteers contain not only the history of the districts, but also every piece of information about that district.
The Kashi Vishwanath temple was one of many similar temples destroyed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in his utter contempt for Hindu culture and faith. Many other instances of Aurangzeb’s fanatical cruelty are described in the Islamic record of Maasir-i-Alamgiri.
When Aurangzeb issued a decree to demolish the Kalka Temple in Delhi
In September 1667, Aurangzeb issued a similar ‘Farman’ (decree) for the destruction of the Mother Goddess-dedicated Kalka Temple in Delhi. The reason stated in the decree was that Hindus were gathering in large numbers at the temple. This was enough reason for the Mughal tyrant to order his hundreds of soldiers to go and demolish the temple.
Legend has it that when a Brahmin priest of the temple saw the demolishers, he took his sword and killed one of them. He then turned around and attacked the demolition squad leader inside the temple. The Brahmin was eventually apprehended and stoned to death.
Shortly after Aurangzeb’s death, the current Kalka Temple was built on the ruins of an earlier temple dedicated to Goddess Kali (1707 A.D.). Two Akhbarats, dated September 3 and September 12, 1667, detail the demolition of the temple on Aurangzeb’s ‘farman.’
After the Mughal tyrant had pillaged Mathura and destroyed the famous Keshav Rai temple
In January 1670, when Aurangzeb plundered the holy city of Mathura, he destroyed the famous and revered Keshav Rai temples. This temple marked the birthplace of Lord Krishna, the most important temple in the Vedic tradition, and he replaced it with a mosque.
The beautifully adorned deities are said to have been transported to Agra and placed beneath the steps leading to the mosque of Nawab Begum Sahib (Jahanara) so that Muslims could trample on them. After destroying the very foundation of deity worship, Mathura’s name was changed to Islamabad.
Similarly, in the same year, the Sita-Rama temple in Soron and the Devi Patan temple in Gonda were both destroyed. The local ruler of Malwa dispatched 400 warriors under Aurangzeb’s command to destroy all of Ujjain’s temples.
Furthermore, according to Muraqat-i-Abul Hasan, Aurangzeb directed his soldiers and assistants from Cuttack, Orissa, to Medinipur, Bengal, to destroy every house built in the previous 12 years with a Hindu deity. Aurangzeb also ordered that any temples that were reconstructed be completely demolished so that Hindus could not resume worship at the sites.
Even temples in the loyal and friendly Amber state, such as the famed Temple of Jagdish at Goner in Amber, were not spared due to his religious zeal, according to two Akhbarat dated 28th March and 14th May 1680.
The Ram Temple in Ayodhya was destroyed on the orders of Aurangzeb, not Babur
In fact, a book titled Ayodhya Revisited, written by former IPS officer Kishore Kunal in 2016, stated how the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was demolished and a mosque was built in its place by Fedai Khan, the governor of Ayodhya, at the command of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1660 AD.
Kunal claimed that Francis Buchanan, who examined Ayodhya in 1813-14, incorrectly attributed the mosque to Babar by relying on a’spurious inscription’ that included a ‘fabricated section’ stating that it was built by Mir Baqi at Babar’s command.
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