This picture is of Badayu Jama Masjid.
After Sambhal in UP, Baayu Jama Masjid is now in discussion. The Hindu party has claimed that the Jama Masjid is actually a temple of Neelkanth Mahadev. When the Hindu party demanded a survey in the district court on Tuesday, the Muslim party responded that it was just an attempt to spoil the atmosphere.
The next hearing will be held on December 10. On that day the court will decide whether the case merits hearing or not.
The case was heard in court on Tuesday. A tight security system was kept during this.
Hindu Party Vs Muslim Party
- Muslim side lawyer Anwar Alam told the court – this case is not worthy of hearing. The Hindu Mahasabha has no right to file a suit in this. When they themselves say that a mosque has been built by demolishing a temple, it is obvious that there is no temple at all. He has constituted the plaintiff Neelkanth Mahadev. When the plaintiff is a natural person.
- There was no discussion on the Hindu side. Hindu party's lawyer Vivek Render said outside the court – Muslim party is presenting its arguments, after this we will present our side. The Muslim party denied the existence of the temple and said that if the temple does not exist then why are they afraid of conducting a survey.
Bhaskar Reached ground zero and understood this entire controversy. Studied the documents on the basis of which the claims of the temple are being made. Read the full report…
On September 2, 2022, a petition was filed in Badayu Civil Court on behalf of Bhagwan Sri Neelkanth Mahadev Mahakal (Ishan Shiva Mandir), Mohalla Kot/Maulvi Tola. In which Jama Masjid Management Committee, UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, ASI, Central Government, UP Government, Badayu Collector and State Chief Secretary were made parties. It was claimed in the petition that currently there was a temple of Neelkanth Mahadev in place of Badayu Jama Masjid.
It is claimed that this Shivlinga was installed in the temple, which was removed during the construction of the mosque. Later the National President of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha Rajshree Choudhary appointed 5 representatives (petitioners) to fight this case. This includes Mahasabha State Coordinator Mukesh Patel, Arvind Parman Advocate, Gyanendra Prakash, Dr. Anurag Sharma and Umesh Chandra Sharma.
The court accepted the application of 5 people to become petitioners. Now these five people are appearing in the court on behalf of the Hindu party. For the last two years there have been dates after dates in court. Both Hindu and Muslim sides are being heard. It is believed that in the next 3 months the court will decide whether the case deserves further hearing or not.
The Hindu party has cited 3 documents in its petition, read…
1- ASI survey report says- King Mahipala built a temple, which was demolished by Muslims The ASI prepared a report of a survey carried out from Badayu to Bihar during 1875 to 1877. The survey was conducted by the then Director General of ASI. Cunningham did. The Calcutta Government Printing Superintendent's Office published this report in 1880.
In this report it is written – Qutbuddin Abak made Badayun his headquarters. The first governor of Badayu was Shamsuddin Altamash, who later became the King of Delhi, but his interest in Badayu continued even after he ascended the throne of Delhi. After 5 years he made his elder son Ruknuddin Feroze the governor of Badayu.
The report goes on to say that, according to the Brahmins- the first name of Badayu was Bedamau or Badamaiya. Later King Mahipala of the Tomar dynasty built a large fort here, on which a part of the city now stands. Many minarets are still standing.
It is also said that Mahipala built a temple called Harmandar, which was destroyed by the Muslims. The present Jama Masjid was built in its place. People agree that all the temple idols were buried under the mosque.
People from Hindu party showing map related to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.
2- Gazetteer of 1857 wrote- The construction material of the mosque looks like a ruined temple. The Gazetteer was prepared during the British period (1857). The history of Badayu Tehsil is also seen in it. On page number 249 it is written – The oldest Muslim building here is probably the Idgah of Shams-ud-Din Altamsh, who was the first governor of Badayu from 1202 to 1209 AD. Its ruins are about 2 kilometers from the western edge of the old city. It has a 91.4 meter long brick wall.
The gazetteer mentions that the mosque was built on the site of an old temple.
There seems to have been a long inscription above the central arch. However, it has now been covered with cement plaster. Only a few letters appear on it. To the right is a fragment of a one-line inscription, clearly an example from the Qur'an.
According to the Gazetteer, Iltutmish left his mark on Badayu in a special way. He built the famous Jama Masjid, located in Maulvi Tola Mohalla, an upscale part of the city. It is said to have been built on the Site of an old stone temple as the material used for its construction appears to have been from a destroyed temple.
Its walls are pierced with arched openings three and a half meters wide. To the west is a deep arch, flanked by two small carved pillars. These were apparently taken from an old Hindu temple.
3- The district administration said- the abbot named Ishan built the temple, the son-in-law of Qutbuddin demolished it. The District Information and Public Relations Office here also published booklets on the history of Badayu several times. In this page number 12 to 14 it is written- During the Gupta period the city came to be known as Vedamal. At that time the king of this place was Lakhpal.
During this time an abbot named Ishan Shiva established a huge Shiva temple, which came to be known as Neelkanth Mahadev and later Ishan Mahadev Temple. King Ajaypal renovated this temple in 1175.
Badayu district administration has written this in one of its magazines.
In 1202, Qutubuddin Aibak captured Badayu and established a Muslim slave state. Badayu was made the capital of the Subedar of the Western Region. Qutubuddin's son-in-law Altamash later became the Subedar of Badayu. He demolished the temple of Neelkanth Mahadev and built the Jama Masjid Shamsi. It still exists today.
Later, Altamsh established a madrasa for religious education near the Jama Masjid, which still exists today under the name Madrasa Alia Qadri. It was he who built the Idgah, which is still there today.
The petitioners of the Hindu party said that the tunnel, pillar, well still exist Petitioner number one from the Hindu party is Mukesh Patel, who is also the state coordinator of the All India Hindu Mahasabha. Mukesh says- This is the temple of Lord Neelkanth Mahadev. It is the fort of King Mahipala. This temple was in the fort itself. After conquering Delhi, Mohammad Ghori's general Qutbuddin Abak reached Delhi. After capturing there he attacked Kannauj.
This is the Dariba temple, where the Shivlinga is installed.
After conquering Kannauj he came to Badayu. At that time Badayu was under Kannauj Sultanate. Qutubuddin killed King Mahipala and made his son-in-law the governor of Badayu. He first damaged the temple of Lord Neelkanth. He could not damage the entire temple. All the evidences including tunnels, pillars survive here.
There is also a well for worship, where the store used to be. The situation will become clear when the Court Commissioner conducts a survey here. We want Lord Neelkanth Mahadev to be released again and handed over to the Hindu community for temple worship. We have all the records that show this place as a temple.
The lawyer of the Hindu party said – this is an archeological building, the Worship Act does not apply here Ved Prakash Sahu, a lawyer from the Hindu party, said that the discussion is going on in the Muslim party. After this the management committee side will be heard. Currently there is a debate whether this case deserves to be heard in court or not.
It is a historical and archaeological survey building, hence the Puja Act does not apply to it. The entire fort comes under Thasara No. 1493. In the center of the fort is the temple of Neelkanth Mahadev, in which the so-called Jama Masjid has been built.
The lawyer of the mosque committee said – in the documents of 1272, the land is in the name of Jama Masjid. We spoke to Asrar Ahmed, a member of Jama Masjid's management committee and lawyer for the Muslim side, over the phone. He said- We have a system of 1272. It says Indraraj (proprietary right), we have entered it. This is a government document, in which the ownership title of Jama Masjid is written. This paper has the highest integrity. There is no evidence on the other side.
The gazetteer says that the mosque is built of stones. Stones were used in those days. Nowhere in the gazetteer is it written that a mosque was built after demolishing a temple. Gazetteer is not proof. On the other hand, there is no proof of this place being registered in the name of the temple.
Asrar Ahmed has alleged that the petition has been filed directly to spoil the environment. Some people want to be in the limelight. Wants to create an atmosphere of hatred. Till date there has been no dispute anywhere before this.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
