In a decision steeped in historical and cultural significance, the Varanasi district court has addressed the longstanding dispute by granting the family of a late priest the right to resume Hindu worship in the Gyanvapi mosque’s cellar. This follows a cessation of prayer in the location that dates back to 1993 during Mulayam Singh Yadav’s tenure. The verdict, delivered by judge A K Vishvesh, was met with profound relief by the Hindu community, particularly by the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, Acharya Satyendra Das, who lauded the rectification of a past injustice.
The spiritual tradition of conducting puja in the mosque cellar was historically maintained by Priest Somnath Vyas until authorities enforced its closure. Shailendra Kumar Pathak, Vyas’ grandson, catalyzed the legal challenge to restore the rights to perform prayers. The lawyer representing the Hindu side, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, insisted there had been no formal governmental directive to halt the practice, and he assures that the court-ordered arrangements by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust will facilitate the recommencement of worship within seven days.
The mosque, which an Archaeological Survey of India report indicated was built over a Hindu temple, contains four cellars in its base, one of which falls under the Vyas family’s stewardship. As the news broke, security measures intensified around the mosque complex to maintain order amidst the renewed access for Hindu devotees, who celebrated the opportunity to engage in their rituals within the complex as permitted by the Varanasi district court’s historic judgment.