Gyanvapi complex opens for puja on Thursday midnight; idols placed, prayer conducted

IANS

Varanasi, February 2

Even as the legal battle over the Hindu religious ceremonies being performed at the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex after a Varanasi court allowed worship at the disputed site intensifies, the Hindu side has announced a schedule of five 'aartis' that will be held on a daily basis in the basement.

#WATCH | Varanasi, UP: Devotees gather outside Gyanvapi complex and sing bhajans.

Varanasi Court granted permission for puja in the 'Vyas ji ka Tehkhana', on Wednesday. Offering of prayers began yesterday pic.twitter.com/3eML61x6hE

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2024

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represents the Hindu side, has said that aarti will be performed five times daily inside the 'Vyas Ka Tekhana' inside the complex.

In a post on X, Jain listed the timings for the five-time aarti.

He wrote: "Daily five aarti: Mangla-3:30 a.m., Bhog-12 p.m., Apranh- 4 p.m., Sanykaal- 7 p.m., Shayan aarti- 10:30 p.m."

On Wednesday, a Varanasi court allowed the Hindu devotees to worship inside the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque. As per the court order, Hindu devotees can now offer prayers at 'Vyas Ka Tekhana', a restricted area inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque.

The court, during its hearing earlier on Thursday, also directed the district administration to make the necessary arrangements for the 'puja' to be performed by the devotees and asked the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust to nominate a pujari for the puja.

On Thursday midnight, the Gyanvapi complex was opened for worship by the Hindu side.

The idols that were found during the Gyanvapi premises survey were placed, and a prayer was conducted, followed by the offerings of the prasad. A statue of Vishnu, a Ganesh idol, two statues of Hanuman, and a stone with Ram written on it have been kept there.

The Muslim side on Thursday filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking stay on religious activities in the complex while the Hindu side also filed a caveat in the case.

The Hindu side supporters also pasted 'Mandir' over a signage that said Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police are on alert as the authorities were asked to conduct patrolling to avoid any untoward incidents.

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