A civil court in Ajmer, Rajasthan, on November 27, issued notices to the Muslim defendants in response to a suit claiming that the revered shrine of 13th-century Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was constructed over a Shiva temple.
The suit, filed by Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta, seeks to declare the Ajmer Sharif Dargah as the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman Temple. It requests the removal of the dargah committee from the premises and a survey of the site by the Archaeological Survey of India to establish its historical origins.
The petitioner claims that the architectural features of the dargah, such as the roof design at its entrance, resemble Hindu structures, suggesting the site’s original identity as a temple. “The materials and style of these chatrees plainly betray their Hindu origin,” the plea asserts, adding that the surface carvings, concealed by paint and whitewashing, could reveal more about the site's history if uncovered.
The petition argues that historical accounts mention the existence of a Mahadeva temple and Jain temples at the location, where Hindu devotees reportedly worshipped before the shrine was constructed. It calls for the Union government to build the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple at the current site of the dargah.
However, Syed Sarwar Chishty, the shrine’s custodian, dismissed the claims as an attempt to incite communal discord. “The dargah has always been a place of worship for people of all religions, and it will remain so,” he told The Indian Express in September, when the case was transferred to the Ajmer court. He added that such claims were frivolous and intended to create hatred.
The notice, issued by Civil Judge Man Mohan Chandel, has scheduled the next hearing for December 20.
This development follows a similar case in Uttar Pradesh, where a Sambhal court on November 19 permitted a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid after petitioners alleged it was built in 1526 on the site of a centuries-old Shri Hari Har Temple. Protests against the survey led to violent clashes, leaving five dead on Sunday.