Gyanvapi mosque issue: Hindu seer ends fast days after being denied permission to pray at 'Shivling'

Varanasi: Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who was denied permission to offer prayers at ‘Shivling’ claimed to be found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex during a court-monitored survey of the premises, ended his fast on Wednesday.

Avimuktreswaranand, a disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, had announced to offer prayers at the site on 4 June. On being stopped by the police, he sat on a fast that continued for over 108 hours.

He said he received a letter from Swami Swaroopanand, asking him to end the fast. This comes in the wake of claims by Hindu litigants in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Mosque case that a ‘Shivling’ was found in the complex during a court-mandated survey of the premises last month.

However, the Muslim side has maintained that the object was part of the water fountain mechanism at the wazoo khana, where namazis (faithfuls) carry out ablutions before offering the namaz.

A local court had ordered the videographic survey of the Gyanvapi complex on a plea by five Hindu women that they be allowed to worship Hindu deities whose idols are installed on the outer wall of the mosque.

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