New Delhi: Undercutting the claim of a "Shivling" found in the ablution tank of the Gyanvapi mosque, Mahant Rajendra Tiwari of the Kashi Vishwanath temple told Aaj Tak that the structure is a fountain, not a 'Shivling'.
The revelation by Mahant Rajendra Tiwari flies in the face of the right-wing narrative being bolstered by lawyers representing the Hindu outfits in the court.
In an interview given to Aaj Tak, Tiwari said it was not appropriate to call any stone structure a 'Shivling', because he has been seeing Wazu tank since his childhood, where he used to play.
Tiwari reportedly said he was still possessing a document from the time of Dara Shikoh, given to his ancestors, permitting them to relocate the actual Shivling.
His ancestors, he said, removed and established the Shivling inside the temple. It can be seen intact there even today, he was quoted as saying.
The priest said he was more concerned about destruction of actual 'Shivlings' for creating the Kashi Vishwanath corridor.
Just as the corridor was expanded, he said, Shivlings of presiding deities including Karuneshwar Mahadev, Amriteshwar Mahadev, Abhimukteshwar Mahadev, and Chandi-Chandeshwar Mahadev were destroyed.
Alongside, statues of the Panch Vinayaks – Durmukh Vinayak, Sumuk Vinayak, Mukh Vinayak, Jau Vinayak and Siddi Vinayak were removed from their pivotal places.
Another ascetic Mahant Ganesh Shankar also came out revealing that the structure found there to the best of his knowledge is a fountain, according to Aaj Tak.
He has disclosed the fountain he has been seeing since childhood is not a 'Shivling' as claimed by the Hindu outfits. He added that fountains would come in varying designs with a stone base, located in the middle of water bodies.