Gyanvapi Mosque: The District Magistrate said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will begin the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi from tomorrow.
The local court has ordered the survey to begin at 7 am on July 21, which will cover all areas except the sealed “Vuzukhana”. Hindu litigants claim that a structure containing a ‘Shivling’ is present in the sealed area.
The ASI has been directed to submit the report to the district court by August 4.
Read more: Breaking! Varanasi court allows carbon dating of Gyanvapi mosque complex
The court’s decision was based on a petition filed by a group of women which claimed that the mosque was built over an already existing structure of a Hindu temple.
In May, the Supreme Court had postponed a “scientific survey” involving carbon dating of a “Shivling” allegedly discovered in the Gyanvapi mosque complex during a videographic survey conducted last year.
Along with this, the court had also issued an order to seal the ‘Vazukhana’ area.
However, in May 2021, a Varanasi court ordered a “scientific survey” of the Gyanvapi mosque, including carbon dating, to determine if there was a pre-existing temple structure beneath it. The survey was stayed by the Supreme Court of India. The court also ordered the sealing of a specific area of the mosque known as “Wazukhana” until the matter is resolved.
What is carbon dating?
Carbon dating is a scientific method that helps determine the age of objects, plants, dead animals or fossil remains. By analyzing the amount of radioactive carbon-14 in samples, scientists can estimate the time since these materials were last alive. This technique has been helpful in understanding the history of objects as well as the process of evolution of different species over the centuries.