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16th-Century Mosque Standing On Shri Hari Har Temple Ruins In Sambhal, Residents Testify About Mosque Officials Denying Access To Ancient Well For Hindu Rituals

The Commune
16th-Century Mosque Standing On Shri Hari Har Temple Ruins In Sambhal, Residents Testify About Mosque Officials Denying Access To Ancient Well For Hindu Rituals 
Image Source: Swati Goel Sharma

The Sambhal Jama Masjid, a 16th-century mosque protected as a ‘national monument’, became the centre of a legal and communal controversy following a petition filed on 19 November 2024. The petitioners, led by Hari Shankar Jain, stated that the mosque was constructed on the site of an ancient Hari Har Mandir, similar to those involving religious disputes in Varanasi, Mathura, and Dhar. The civil judge of the district court ordered a photographic and videographic survey of the mosque, which was peacefully conducted the same day under heavy police presence.

However, a second survey on 24 November 2024 escalated into violence. This survey, conducted in the presence of police and petitioners, was preceded by a local priest and chants of “Jai Shri Ram.”

A large crowd of Islamist protestors gathered, and the situation turned volatile with stone-pelting from the mob. Police reportedly used tear gas and lathi charges to disperse the crowd but were accused of opening fire, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, including two teenagers. Residents alleged that police also ransacked homes, which was denied by authorities. The mosque was built by Babur’s general Mir Hindu Beg around 1528.

However, when local Hindu minorities in the region were asked about the disputed property, they would only address it as the Shri Hari Har temple.

Temple Or Mosque?

Sambhal, a town in Uttar Pradesh, houses the disputed mosque structure. The structure is located in the Kot area of Sambhal and has become a focal point of tension, with both Hindu and Muslim communities claiming historical ties to the site.

Image Source: Swati Goel Sharma

The area is divided into two distinct parts, Kot Purvi (East) and Kot Gharbhi (West), home to Hindu and Muslim populations, respectively. The street outside the mosque, which leads to a local police station, is predominantly Hindu and is humorously referred to as “Post Office Road” by locals, who liken it to the India-Pakistan border due to the communal divide.

Image Source: Swati Goel Sharma

According to the 2011 census, Hindus comprise 22% of Sambhal’s population, with the Hindu community in Kot Purvi constituting no more than 10%.

Several residents, particularly from the Hindu community, have consistently referred to the mosque site in Sambhal as the location of the Hari Har Temple. Anil Tandon, a 66-year-old lifelong resident of Kot Purvi, recalls that his family always regarded the site as the Hari Har Temple. He says that as a child, he visited the site with relatives who were interested in seeing the temple inside the mosque. Back then, Hindus could still enter the mosque premises before the construction of large walls that now enclose it. Tandon remembers a locked room and a water “kund” inside.

Similarly, Arvind Arora, 75, whose family migrated from Lahore in 1947, also refers to the site as the Hari Har Mandir. Arora shared that his family had learned to call it the Hari Har Temple after their arrival in Sambhal following Partition. Many of the residents in the area, including displaced Punjabi families, share this sentiment. However, Arora notes that many families are leaving the area due to growing tensions and changing demographics.

Another local, Muni Devi, 90, recalls using a well outside the mosque’s gate for religious ceremonies like Kuan Pujan (a newborn ritual). She states that the mosque committee later covered the well with a wall, taking half of it inside the mosque premises. Residents claim that the well, now under police guard, has historical significance.

In addition to these personal accounts, several locals have pointed out the presence of an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plaque outside the Sambhal masjid in their youth, which they believe indicated the mosque was built over an existing Hindu temple. One resident, now 57, claims the mosque committee removed the ASI plaque, further deepening suspicions about the true nature of the site.

The controversy has gained further attention with a petition filed by Vishnu Jain and others contesting the mosque’s construction. The petition alleges that the mosque encroaches upon ASI-protected land. The petitioners argue that the mosque committee has taken control of the property, not only denying access to the public but also obstructing ASI officials from exercising their rights over the land. According to the petition, the mosque committee has even locked portions of the property without legal authority to do so.

The petition also references historical evidence, citing an ASI survey conducted in 1875-1876, which details how the mosque was constructed over an existing temple. According to the petitioners, this survey report strengthens the claim that the Shahi Jama Masjid was built on the ruins of the Hari Har Temple in Sambhal.

The violence in the area escalated over the weekend, particularly on Sunday, when a clash broke out in the Muslim-populated area behind the mosque. The lane was reportedly deserted the following day, with security personnel combing the area for stone-pelters based on footage. Residents were reluctant to speak to outsiders, and many houses in the vicinity were locked. The violence has raised concerns about the safety and stability of the area, with many fearing the potential for further unrest.

While there is strong support within the local Hindu community for reclaiming the site as the Hari Har Temple, some residents, like Kamal Gambhir, 50, whose family also migrated from Multan, argue against pursuing such a course due to the violence and social unrest it could provoke. Gambhir, acknowledging the site’s historical significance as a Hindu temple, cautions that reclaiming it would lead to curfews, business disruptions, and greater communal tensions.

The ongoing dispute over the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal is a complex issue, rooted in both historical grievances and contemporary communal tensions.

This article is based on an X thread by Swati Goel Sharma.

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