Kashi Calling

Pragna Bharati Talk series

Kashi Calling

Bhagyanagar Book launch of “Waiting for Shiva- unveiling the truth of Kashi’s Gyanvapi’ by author and historian Sri Vikram Sampath.

28th April 2024
Hotel Marriott
Hyderabad

Pragna Bharati in collaboration with NMDC organized the much anticipated ‘Kashi Calling’ program which had a medley of programs including the Hyderabad book launch of ‘Waiting for Kashi’ by author Sri Vikram Sampath.

The collage of interesting programs included the conduct of art competitions, essay writing and quiz competitions to children and youngsters, with the cultural theme of ‘Kashi Calling’.

The program also included the passing of the resolution titled ‘Kashi Calling’ urging the govt of India to take appropriate actions with regards to Hindu temples.

The book ‘Waiting for Kashi’ was formally launched by the dignitaries on the stage.

In the brief introduction, the compere smt. Poojita Krishna explained the significance of the struggle for the reclamation of Kashi Gyanvaapi Mandir in Varanasi and appreciated the author Sri Vikram Sampath in bringing out the book at the right time.

PadmaSri T. Hanuman Chowdary, chairperson of Pragna Bharati in his remarks stated that it has taken the Hindus 500 years to bring Srirama to Ayodhya, let us see when we can claim our Gyanvaapi in Varanasi. Kashi literally means a beacon of light, Sri Chowdary quoted several padyas from Telugu Mahakavi Srinatha’s ‘Kasi khandam’. He eloquently quoted several verses from Telugu kavyaas which explain the great importance of Kashi to the Telugus. He said a temple is established through the pran pratishtha of Bhagwan and always stays eternal, unlike Abrahamic religions where churches and mosques are only congregation points. Will Durant has written extensively that Hindu civilization was destroyed by the invading barbarians. Arnold Toynbee in Bharatiya Vidya bhavan lectures in 1962 clearly said that Aurangzeb destroyed Kashi with the same ‘intentionally offensive political purpose’. In a reclamation of national pride, the Polish people destroyed the Russian orthodox Church and built their own church post World War II.

Chief Guest of the evening Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Sri Kishan Reddy stated that the Gyanvapi issue should be resolved amicably. The ASI which comes under his ministry has produced a detailed report, and the matter is presently subjudice. The problem wasn’t resolved during the Mughal period, the subsequent British period or post 1947. He said it’s to the credit of the government and the people that the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi mandir issue was resolved through the court and without any social tensions or riots in the country. Similarly the Gyanvapi issue should be resolved amicably. There are many issues being handled smoothly, the change in colonial mindset is being seen with the change of names from Rajpath to Kartavya path etc under the Modi govt.

Out of 3600 monuments under ASI, there are many temples and religious monuments which are present, Congress govt kept them under status quo as the other temples in the complex cannot be restored and worshipped also. The Modi govt is working on bringing a bill which allows the worship of protected monuments belonging to various religions. Some national monuments are also being brought under private agencies for regular maintenance, such as Red fort in Delhi. He congratulated and appreciated author Sri Vikram Sampath on his great research work and writing and making people aware of Bharat’s historical and cultural splendor.

Scholar and author Dr KV Narasimha Murthy in his address stated that Kasi khandam which is a part of skanda Purana describes the Kasi Mahatmyam. The ‘Divodas katha’ of Kasi describes 7 avaranas, chapphanna ganapatis, 63 Vishnu moorthis, bhairavas, chatushashti ganapatis, adityas, rudraas, Brahma, gomathaas, gandharvas and other Devas etc. All the Devas are settled there, the Dikpalaka Ishaana established the Kasi Nagara. Many Devas exist in invisible form there. Kasi is self illuminating and an atma reaches the paramapadam when they find the reflection of Kasi in themselves.

Prof John Melvin researched the cosmography elements of Dwadasa Adityas situated in Kashi. Only Manikarnika was present in Kashi as a very big water body, before Bhagiratha brought the divine Ganga matha to the earth, and to Kashi. Kasi is eternal and it has all the Divya shaktis ever present.

The multifaceted author, scholar, researcher and musician, Sri Vikram Sampath in his keynote address stated that Kashi Calling is an important and momentous occasion for him. He said he just came from Kashi where he launched the Hindi version of the book. He congratulated Sri Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is legally fighting the Gyanvaapi case in courts; when he heard Sri Jain who is full of passion and pathos, it was then that Sri Vikram Sampath was inspired to write the book. He said he was fortunate that sri Shankaracharya of Dakshinamnaya peetham invited him and introduced him to many puranas which describe the Kasi mahatmyam including Skanda, Brahma vaivartha etc.

Vachaspati Mishra wrote Teerth Chintamani, the great Narayan Bhatt wrote Triisthali Kshetra and many other great scholars wrote other works. He had to look into various sets of materials for the writing of the book. Masih re Alamgir and other Persian works described Gyanvaapi Mandir, foreign travelers including Tavernier etc, the scientific reports including that of ASI which describe the most advanced technology etc. He said he was just a nimitta-matra and approached the book with the Saranagatha Bhava, Mahadev himself came to his help and the book was readied in eight months only.

Qutbuddin Aiibak in 1194 CE, as chronicled by Hasan Nizami, describes the onslaught against the Kashi where more than 1000 temples were destroyed, hundreds of elephants carried the looted
Razia Sultan in her short stint around 1235CE built the Razia mosque in Kasi.
Nawabs of Jaunpur destroyed the Aatala Devi Mandir and other temples. Around 1494 CE, Sikandar Lodhi led the next wave of destruction. Finally Aurangzeb tore down many temples and mutts in Kashi including the Vishwanath Mandir.

The Hindu Resistance story on the other side

The great Story of resilience and resistance of Hindus continued through the onslaughts and attacks. In 1212 CE Vishwaroop, the commander of Bengal constructed a Sthambha in Kashi. In 1250 CE- Seth Vastupala of Gujarat contributef Rs 1 lakh to restore the temple. During the same period, Veera Narasimha III of Hoyasala dynasty donated the Hebbale village to take care of the payment of jaziya tax for Hindu pilgrims to go to Kashi.

Four Dakshin Brahmin families – Sesha, Mouni, Bhatta and Dharmadhikari families of today’s Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh went to Kasi to restore Kashi mandir. Books like Kashi Rahasya arrived, which chronicled the history of that period. In Telugu, Mahakavi Srinatha has written the ‘Kasi Khandam’. Ramakavi, son in law of poet Tenali Ramakrishna translated another great work into Telugu.

Kashi Visweswar temple was never given up by the Hindus ever. The long struggle to reclaim the temple continued for centuries. Narayana Bhatt from Dakshin constructed the Ashta-mandap temple with help from some influential people in Delhi sultanate. People from all over India connected to Kashi, the story of revival of Kashi is a slap on the face of distortionist Marxists who want to divide the country on the lines of caste and community or on the lines of North – South.

Chatrapati Sivaji Maharaj was alive at the time of the Kashi destruction, even his mother Rajmatha Jijabai asked him to liberate Kasi. On his deathbed, Sivaji Maharaj said his life is incomplete without Kashi restoration, which duty he passed to his descendants. Bajirao Peshwa, Nana Saheb, Madhavrao Peshwa everyone did their bit to restore Kashi. The latter In his will stated that ‘its our bounden duty to restore Kashi’. Eventually Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar constructed the Viswanath temple (next to the Gyanvapi temple). Sri Vikram Sampath said that even today, we need to discharge our pitru-runa to our ancestors who have struggled and sacrificed their lives in the duty of Dharma.

Numerous court cases were heard even during British India, the 1936 Din Mohammad case is famous. The British judge said- Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is not a waqf property, also performing namaz in an usurped place of worship belonging to another religion cannot be a functioning masjid. That case too has passed all scrutiny from district civil courts, to High courts to Supreme court.

Adi Visweswar, the deity filed the case in 1991. After languishing in the courts for 22 years, the case was disposed off. The Maa Shringara Gouri on the wall of the Gyanvaapi was worshipped till 1993, when Mulayam Singh Yadav govt banned it. Advocate Sri Harishankar Jain has taken up the case in 2021 filed by 5 women, the Advocate Commissioner was permitted to drain the water of the wazukhana, to reveal the Shivling of Mahadev. The 850- page ASI report, ordered by the court, is very detailed, using advanced technology like ground penetrating radars etc. Telugu, Kannada, Tamil inscriptions were found, once again showing the oneness of Bharat. ASI survey is very important as it’s a crucial metric which gives the evidence.

The Monuments Act actually gives away the ownership to ancient temples as old monuments of over 100 years don’t come under the purview of the Act. It is often wondered how a scholarly PM PV Narasimha Rao could enact the ‘Places of Worship Act’ in 1991, however one can see the sleight of hand in the Act.

Sri Vikram Sampath stated that we shouldn’t limit our claims on ancient temples to 3 or 300 or even thousands, wherever the evidence of archaeology, epigraphy and history are present, we should go through the legal or administrative routes to reclaim our temples. We must reclaim the temples of our kuldevis, kuldevtas etc, as long as Hindus haven’t left their practice of worship on that spot. We must develop a comprehensive list of temples, a short dossier for each place, and approach the other side for ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ between both communities. We need to educate the Muslims too that we have common ancestors and we need to restore our common heritage of temples.

The Waqf Act of 1991 has claimed many lands as it’s own, however hopefully the new Govt which will be sworn in June 2024 will address the waqf issue, which is supposed to be the biggest private real estate owner in the country. In Karnataka, the Congress govt has given Rs 330 crores to mosques, Rs 220+ crores to churches, and an additional tax is imposed on the Hindu temples; simultaneously we must struggle to free Hindu temples from Govt control.

Sri Vikram Sampath concluded his address by saying that the book is getting translated into various languages including Telugu. Sri Gunturu Laxman Sastry is doing the Telugu translation. The talk was attended by a very large audience of hundreds of people, who gave a standing ovation to the author.