In a significant ruling, a court in Varanasi on Wednesday allowed Hindu petitioners to worship the idols of deities inside the sealed southern cellar—Vyas ji ka tehkhana—of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
District judge A.K. Vishvesh directed the district administration to make proper arrangements, including removal of barricades, within seven days. The court further said that puja should be conducted by a priest named by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board.
“District Magistrate, Varanasi / receiver is directed to get puja, raga-blog performed of the idols located inside that the basement situated on the south side of the building which is the suit property, by the priest named by the Kashi Vishwanath Trust Board and the plaintiff. For this purpose, make proper arrangements of iron fencing etc. within 7 days,” said the order.
According to the petition, priest Somnath Vyas used to perform prayers at the southern cellar till 1993 when the it was closed by the authorities. Shailendra Kumar Pathak, maternal grandson of Somnath Vyas, moved the court seeking the right to worship deities there.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu said, ” …Puja will start within seven days. Everyone will have the right to perform Puja…” “Hindu side allowed to offer prayers at ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’. The District Administration will have to make arrangements within 7 days,” Jain said.
The mosque has four ‘tahkhanas’ (cellars) in the basement out of which one is still in possession of the Vyas family who used to live here. Vyas had petitioned that as hereditary pujari he be allowed to enter the tahkhana and resume pooja.
