The Adi-Visvesvara Temple houses the original argha (seat) of the Visvesvara Jyotirlinga, and the original vigraha (idol) of Shringara Gauri and Saubhagya Gauri.
Do You Know Where The Original Idol Of Shringar Gauri Is?
THE FORGOTTEN ADI-VISVESVARA TEMPLE – THE PRESENT ABODE OF SHRINGAR GAURI & SAUBHAGYA GAURI AND AN INDICATOR THAT THE FIRST ORIGINAL VISVESVARA JYOTIRLINGA TEMPLE WAS WHERE THE BIBI RAZIA MOSQUE STANDS TODAY
Around 1698 AD, Maharaj Bishan Singh Ji of Amber got the whole area in and around the Gyanvapi complex surveyed & his men apprised him about the various claims and controversies in this matter, and thus Maharaj Bishan Singh Ji came to know all the facts but, due to hostile Mughals – he could not proceed further.
On the basis of the groundwork done by Maharaj Bishan Singh Ji – his great son Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur came to know that Bibi Razia Mosque had been constructed on the original ancient site of Visvesvara jyotirlinga temple.
Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh II did not have the power or authority to remove the Bibi Razia Mosque but, he somehow managed the Mughal court and purchased land in the immediate vicinity of the Bibi Razia Mosque and constructed a temple adjacent to the Bibi Razia Mosque sometime around 1733 AD (or around 1720 AD?) and named this temple Adi-Visvesvara temple as a marker or indicator of the first original site of Visvesvara Jyotirlinga temple.
NOTE ABOUT LOCATION: The Bibi Razia Mosque is located opposite the erstwhile Carmichael Library & Gate no. 4 of the Kashi-Vishwanath corridor. The Adi-Visvesvara temple was constructed adjacent to Bibi Razia Mosque (sharing a common boundary wall) by Maharaj Ji Sawai Jai Singh II.
Maharaj Ji Sawai Jai Singh II wanted to build this new Adi-Visvesvara temple as close as possible to the original site of Visvesvara Jyotirlinga and so instead of maintaining distance from an Islamic mosque – the Adi-Visvesvara temple & Bibi Razia mosque have a common boundary wall. Moreover, additional precaution was taken by designing the Adi-Visvesvara temple in an extremely simple unobtrusive manner and with a mosque-like dome probably to avoid attracting the evil attention of some Islamic bigot and save the temple from getting demolished.
EVEN DIN MOHAMMAD KNEW THE TRUTH…While the present breed of petitioners, limelight-hungry advocates & so-called scholars & mahants of Kashi are oblivious to the real history of Adi-Visvesvara temple & Bibi Razia mosque and erroneously assume the Gyanvapi mosque to be the first original site of Visvesvara jyotirlinga – Din Mohammad, a devout Muslim, who had filed a court case in the Gyanvapi matter in 1936 AD, was extremely well-read and aware of the real Hindu history of Kashi-Vishwanath. On Page 152-153 of ‘The Record of Pleadings & Proceedings in the Court of the Additional Civil Judge of Benares’ in Civil Suit no. 62 of 1936 [Din Mohammad & Ors. (Plaintiffs) VS. The secretary of State for India in Council (Respondent)] – the contention of the Plaintiffs is recorded that the “old temple of Bishunath or Bisheshar” was in the “compound” of Bibi Razia mosque as is confirmed by the presence of “Adi-Bisheshar” temple near it.
ADVOCATES FIGHT FOR THE SITE OF SHRINGAR GAURI BUT IGNORE THE ORIGINAL IDOLS OF SHRINGAR GAURI AND SAUBHAGYA GAURI: Kubernath Sukul confirms that Shringar Gauri was originally worshipped in the Western Mandapa (Shringar Mandapa) of Narayan Bhatta’s 1585 AD temple in the Gyanvapi compound. This mandapa was demolished in 1669 AD and a mosque was constructed over the demolished temple. Post-1669 AD – devotees used to worship the original site of the Mother Goddess Shringar Gauri near the walled-up gate of the western wall of the Gyanvapi mosque.
Thus, the devout Hindus have a legitimate right to claim access to the original asthan (site) of Mother Goddess Shringar Gauri near the walled-up gate of the western wall. But, while the media-savvy petitioners, advocates & politicians are creating a big ruckus about worshipping the site of Shringar Gauri and are fighting from the courtroom to the streets – they have completely forgotten or so to say deliberately ignored the ORIGINAL IDOL OF SHRINGAR GAURI which was recovered from the ruins of the temple in the Gyanvapi compound and is in the Adi-Visvesvara temple at present. DO THESE PETITIONERS & ADVOCATES EVER GO TO THE ADI-VISVESVARA TEMPLE TO WORSHIP THE ORIGINAL IDOL OF THE MOTHER GODDESS?
The need of the hour is to not only press for unhindered access and right to worship the original site of Shringar Gauri near the walled-up western wall but, this site worship should also include the original idol of the Mother Goddess which must be placed on its original site. It is factually, legally, and ethically necessary that the present location of Shringar Gauri in Adi-Visvesvara temple is brought to the notice of the courts and also highlighted in the media so that the common Hindu comes to know about its own forgotten heritage.
ARE THE PLAINTIFFS IN COURT OR THEIR ADVOCATES OR FOR THAT MATTER THE COMMON HINDU OF VARANASI AWARE THAT THE ADI-VISVESVARA TEMPLE HOUSES THE FOLLOWING?
a) THE ORIGINAL ARGHA (SEAT) OF THE VISVESVARA JYOTIRLINGA (recovered by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II from the ruins of the original 10-11th century Visvesvara jyotirlinga temple in the compound of Bibi Razia mosque). [Reference: Sukul (1977- 2nd 2008); Meenakshi Jain (2019) & other references]
Pic courtesy: Pt. Siddhartha Dave Ji
b) THE ORIGINAL VIGRAHA (IDOL) OF SHRINGAR GAURI (recovered by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II from the ruins of Narayana Bhatta’s 1585 AD temple in the compound of Gyanvapi mosque). THIS SHRINGAR GAURI IS THE MOTHER GODDESS OF NARAYANA BHATTA’S 1585 AD TEMPLE. [Reference: Sukul (1977- 2nd 2008) & Pt. Siddhartha Dave, Priest of Adi-Visvesvara temple]
c) THE ORIGINAL VIGRAHA (IDOL) OF SAUBHGYA GAURI (recovered by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II from the ruins of the original 10-11th century Visvesvara jyotirlinga temple in the compound of Bibi Razia mosque). THIS SAUBHAGYA GAURI IS PROBABLY THE MOTHER GODDESS OF THE ORIGINAL VISVESVARA JYOTIRLINGA TEMPLE. [Reference: Sukul (1977- 2nd 2008) & Pt. Siddhartha Dave, Priest of Adi-Visvesvara temple].
[Shringar Gauri is the taller one of these two deities]. Pic courtesy: Pt. Siddhartha Dave Ji
The various fundamental flaws & misconceptions in the petitions, pleadings & media statements from the Hindu side casts a cloud on the legitimacy of the otherwise legitimate Hindu claim on Kashi Vishwanath and the grave errors render all flawed court petitions and prayers void ab initio. It is not only shivadroha (sacrilege against lord shiva) but, a body blow to Sanatana dharma as well.
The published article is an edited version of the full monograph published here. Copyright and Legal disclaimer: As cited on page no. 7 of the monograph therein applies.)
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