After Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the proposed Kalki temple in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, and the meyhem that unfolded, in which four people were killed and dozens injured, the question being asked is: will the city become another Ayodhya after a Ram temple was inaugurated in the holy city by the bank of the Saryu river?

Headed by Acharya Pramod Khrishnam, the Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust is working to construct the temple of Lord Kalki, who according to Hindu mythology, is the tenth and the last incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Row Surrounding Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid

The current controversy surrounding Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid began when a local court ordered the Archaeological Survey of India to survey the 500-year-old structure.

The court ordered the ASI to carry out a survey of the mosque after a petition was filed on November 19, claiming the mosque was constructed on the remains of an ancient Kalki temple.

While the first survey of the ASI-protected mosque went off peacefully, tension escalated during the second survey as it was rumoured that water had been drained off the ‘wuzu khana’ or the ablution tank, allegedly to check the depth.

Advocate from the Hindu side, Vishnu Jain, claimed that Mughal Emperor Babur demolished the Hari Har Temple in 1526.

What Have Historians Said?

Historian Meenakshi Jain has written in her book, ‘The Battle for Rama- Case of the Temple at Ayodhya’ that Sambhal’s Jama Masjid was the second mosque that Babur constructed. She also wrote that Babur ordered his generals to demolish the temple in Sambhal and construct a mosque on its place.

Similarly, historian Sri Ram Sharma wrote in his book, ‘The Religious Policy of the Mughal Emperors’ that Babur’s high-ranking official Hindu Beg is said to have converted a Hindu temple in Sambhal into a mosque. The historian also claimed in his book published in 1940 that His Sadr, Shaikh Zain, demolished many Hindu temples at Chanderi after occupying it.

Sri Ram Sharma also wrote that the temple was dedicated to Lord Kalki and was called Hari Har Temple.

Hindu Side’s Claims

Quoting excerpts from Mughal emperor’s autobiography, ‘Baburnama’, advocate Vishnu Jain claimed that the founder of the Mughal empire in India, converted a Hindu temple into a mosque in Sambhal in Hijri 933. He also claimed that it is commemorated in an inscription still existing on the mosque.

Reports suggest that Maratha ruler of Malwa, Ahilyabai Holkar, constructed the Hari Har Temple in 18th century. It was situated 300 metres away from the Shahi Jama Masjid.

According to a report published by the ASI, British archaeologist ACL Carlleyle wrote in 1879 that much of the mosque was constructed using rubble-masonry.

Carlleyle’s Report

Rubble masonry is a construction technique in which irregularly shaped stones from an earlier structure are used and bound together with mortar.

In his ‘Report Of Tours In The Central Doab And Gorakhpur In 1874-75 And 1875-76’, Carlleyle wrote that the dome of the Shahi Jama Masjid was built of brick. He further explained that the famous Prithvi Raja is said to have built the structure originally.

The British archaeologist wrote further in his report that the walls of the central square of the Hindu temple appeared to have been built with large bricks cased with stone. He also said that the Muhammadans coated the walls with plaster, concealing the material of which they were made. However, he wrote that the stone was exposed in some places.

Was Temple Converted Into Mosque

Carlyle wrote, “I believe that the Muhammadans stripped off most of the stone, especially such as bore traces of Hinduism, and made a pavement of the stones, turning the sculptures downwards.”

If media reports are to be believed, the Babur’s name in the inscription found on the wall of the mosque is misspelt and appears to be forged.

Carlyle wrote in his book that Muslims of Sambhal told him that the inscription containing Babar’s name was a forgery. He also observed that the Muhammadans did not get possession of the building until about the time of the mutiny of 1857, or a little before it.

Alexander Cunningham’s Report

However, it was contradicted by Alexander Cunningham, the first Director-General of the ASI, who wrote that the inscription on the mosque which the Hindus denounced as being forged appeared to be quite genuine to him.

The ASI said in its report in 1879 that while the front of the slab had Babur’s inscription on it, local Hindus in Sambhal claimed the back of the slab held the original Hindu inscription from the temple.

After PM Modi laid the stone for the Kalki temple, Acharya Pramod Khrishnam, head of the Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust, was expelled from the Congress. He soon joined the BJP.

Is Sambhal Next Ayodhya?

Political analysts believe the Hindutva outfits have deliberately taken up the cause of the Kalki temple along with those of the Gyan Vapi Masjid- Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and Shahi Eidgah- Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura.

After being successful in capitalising on Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid- Ram Janmabhoomi Temple controversy, the BJP may have chalked out the strategy of keeping the so-called Hindutva flame burning for bigger and pan-India political advantage.

Experts also point out that the saffron party has raised the Hinutva issues during election campaigns time and again and has also received its electoral dividends.

Petitions Challenging Ownerhip Of Religious Places

While the BJP leaders said during the Lok Sabha elections that the Congress would take Hindus’s property and distribute them among Muslims, it raised the slogan of “Batenge Toh Katenge” during the Maharashtra polls and declared that the illegal Bangladeshi migrants would change the demography of Jharkhand when the state went to polls recently.

The strategy of the Hindutva organisations is also clear by numerous petitions being filed in different courts of the country challenging
the ownership of many mosques, dargahs and mausoleums.

Places Of Worship Act Challenged

Similarly, multiple petitions have been filed challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The act says that the religious character of any place of worship, except Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhooomi Temple should be maintained as of August 15, 1947. It also says that all petitions challenging the religious character of a place of worship would stand cancelled.

Political analysts believe the Hindutva outfits want to challenge the religious nature of as many places as possible. The proposed Kalki Temple at Sambhal is a part of the strategy and it has the potential of becoming another piece of controversy like Ayodhya’s temple.