Varanasi: Following the Varanasi court’s directive allowing a priest to conduct puja in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and instructing the district magistrate to make necessary arrangements within seven days. Within nine hours of the order, puja-aarti took place, and prasad was distributed at the ‘Vyasji ka tehkhana.’
After the court’s directive regarding the Gyanvapi basement, high-ranking police and administration officials arrived at Vishwanath Dham late on Wednesday night, PTI reported.
Officials convened to discuss the implementation of the District Judge’s order regarding worship arrangements in the Vyasji basement.
Puja commenced late on Wednesday night in the Vyasji basement of the Gyanvapi complex, with the ‘Mangala Aarti’ occurring early on Thursday. Deployment of armed forces at the premises has been heightened in light of the puja.
Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma stated that regular worship, following rituals, will be conducted in the Vyasji basement from Thursday morning to comply with the court’s order.
The District Judge instructed the Receiver District Magistrate to oversee idol worship and ‘Raag-Bhog’ in the basement, arranging for an iron fence within seven days. The next hearing is scheduled for February 8, allowing both parties to submit objections.
Last year on September 25, Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas filed a suit, seeking the handover of Vyasji’s basement to the District Magistrate for worship, as was done before December 1993. The District Judge appointed the District Magistrate as the receiver of Vyasji’s basement on January 17, accepting the demand for puja on Wednesday.
