Allahabad High Court allows survey of Shahi Idgah Masjid in Mathura

The Allahabad High Court made a significant decision regarding the Shahi Idgah complex in Mathura, a site of historical and religious significance. 

The court granted permission for a survey of the complex, which has been at the center of a longstanding dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities over its ownership. 

The verdict came after the court had previously reserved judgment on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought the removal of the mosque, claiming it was built on the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

The PIL had requested that the land be handed over to Hindus for the construction of a temple and also sought permission for Hindus to worship at the mosque on certain days. However, the court dismissed this plea, maintaining the status quo of the mosque's presence. The mosque, known as the Shahi Idgah Mosque, stands on a site where the temples dedicated to Lord Krishna were said to have been destroyed multiple times throughout history, most recently by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1670.

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The Jama Mosque, another mosque in Mathura, was built by Abd-al-Nabi Khan, governor of Mathura during Aurangzeb's reign. Despite the historical tensions, the recent court ruling allowing for a survey indicates a move towards a more detailed understanding of the site. The details of the panel responsible for the survey are set to be finalized on December 18th, 2023.

This development follows a series of legal battles over the site that have spanned more than a century. The Supreme Court had previously held that the site belonged to the Hindus and ordered the construction of a temple there. The survey's findings could potentially influence future decisions regarding the complex and its management.

The decision to allow the survey was described as a landmark judgment by Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer representing the Hindu side. He emphasized the importance of identifying signs and symbols of the Hindu temple within the Shahi Idgah Masjid to ascertain the actual position of the historical site. The outcome of the survey is awaited with great interest by both communities and observers across the nation.