On 14 Dec 2023, the Allahabad High Court upheld the orders of the Mathura District Court to conduct a survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Case in Mathura.
High Court Orders
Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer for the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi party has said to the media that Allahabad High Court has given orders for a scientific survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura.
Response of Lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain
Archaeological Evidence
Archeological evidence unearthed in the site has yielded 6th century pottery along with some Buddhist and Jain sculptures.
Historical Context
Read: Timeline of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
The Shahi Idgah mosque was built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and is built upon the original Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, first built by Krishna’s great grandson Vajranabha, grandson of Pradyumna and son of Aniruddha and then renovated thrice, once by Emperor Vikramaditya and then by Raja Dhurpet Dev Janjua.
In 1968, there was a compromise between Shahi Idgah Mosque and the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi where the mosque ceded a part of its land to the latter to build a temple. However, the issue still remained lingering as the believed structure of the original temple is lying under the mosque.
Vishnu Shankar Jain, lawyer to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi said on 14 Dec 2023 that “in the Shahi Idgah there were a lot of signs and symbols of the Hindu Temple“.
