14 quotes found
"Oh! Sheikh, see the wondrous greatness of my temple in that it became the house of (your) god only after its downfall."
"It is Malharji’s wish to demolish the mosque at Jnanvapi and build a temple. However, the panch-dravidi Brahmins [from Karnataka, Telugu, Dravida i.e. Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Maharashtra and Gurjara] worry that the mosque is well-known. The patil will make the temple without an order from the Emperor. Once the Emperor comes to evil ways, the Brahmins will die. He will take their lives. In this province, the yavanas [Muslims] are in strength. They will not all accept this. It is better to build it at another place. The Brahmins are worried. They will be in a bad state. The Ganga is omnipotent! In Kashi, the Brahmins are worried. However, to do that will not endanger the Brahmins, will be pious. Even so, what the Vishweshwar thinks proper, he will do. What is the point of worrying? If they begin to demolish the temple, the Brahmins will come and send a letter of request to the Shrimant—that is the thought now."
"The presence of this mosque, located, from motives of insult, in a place held so sacred by the Hindus, and around which their closest sympathies are gathered, is a constant source of heart-burnings and feuds both to Hindus and Mohammedans. The former, while unwillingly allowing the latter to retain the mosque, claim the courtyard between it and the wall as their own. Consequently, they will not permit the Mohammedans to enter the mosque by more than one public entrance, which, instead of being in front of that building, is situated on one side of it. The Mohammedans have many times wished to build a gateway in the midst of the spacious platform in front of the mosque; but although they once erected, they were not suffered to make use of it, on account of the excitement that the circumstance occasioned among the Hindu population, which was only allayed by the timely intervention of the Magistrate of Benares. The gateway still stands; but the space between the pillars has been filled up. A peepul tree, adored as a god, overhangs both the gateway and the road; but the Hindus will not allow the Mohammedans to pluck a single leaf from it. The Government, as a kind of trustee of the mosque, still pays, periodically, or did so not long since, the interest of the money belonging to it, deposited in the Treasury, notwithstanding the Act lately passed forbidding such a practice."
"The most prominent is the overflowing mane on either side of the head. The face is characterized by protruding eyes and upraised ears. The muzzle of the animal is mutilated however, its rounded profile is extant on the right side. Vyala figures in other pilasters were chopped off or damaged."
"On careful observation, it becomes apparent that the vyala figure which is found intact on two in situ pilasters in western chamber had been chopped off and the stone mass was recarved as lotus buds, as carved above and below. In several cases, the recessed corner originally featuring the vyala motif was modified and replaced with the repetitive flower bud chain. This replacement is identifiable by the difference in the execution of the later additions which are usually different in size and shapes from those carved originally."
"Upon comprehensive analysis, it can be concluded that parts of pillars and pilasters reused in existing structure have been recarved later, seemingly in a hurried manner. This is especially evident in cases where the sides of lotus medallions are reworked which fail to meet the established standards."
"Close inspection of the pillars and pilasters of the east corridor revealed, in several places, that the buds carved near the lotus medallion are irregular in shape and size as well as in their execution. These disconformities in what should have been uniform styles of execution suggest that the vyala were meant to be integral part of the decorative motif of the pillars and pilasters and that subsequently these depictions were removed and replaced with series of buds at the time of their reuse in the existing structure."
"This Arabic and Persian inscription comes from a loose slab and runs in 6 lines of which last two lines have been mutilated purposefully. The inscription states that this mosque was constructed in the 20 regnal year of Aurangzeb Alamgir corresponding to 1676-77 ce and was repaired with Verandah and other parts in 1207 Hijri corresponding to 1792-93 ce."
"Based on scientific studies/ survey carried out, study of architectural remains, exposed features and artefacts, inscriptions, art and sculptures, it can be said that there existed a Hindu temple prior to the construction of the existing structure."
"The western wall, which is made of stones and decorated with mouldings, is remaining part of an earlier Hindu temple."
"Art and architecture of any building not only indicate its date but also its nature. Karna-ratha and prati-ratha of central chamber visible on either side of western chamber, a large decorated entrance gateway on the eastern wall of the western chamber, a smaller entrance with destroyed image on lalatbimba, birds and animals carved for decoration, suggest that the western wall is remaining part of a pre-existing Hindu temple."
"Sculptures of Hindu deities and carved architectural members were found buried under the dumped soil in cellar S2."
"Existing architectural remains, decorated mouldings on the walls, karna-ratha and prati-ratha of central chamber, a large decorated entrance gate with torana on the eastern wall of the western chamber, a small entrance with mutilated image on lalatbimba, birds and animals carved for decoration in and outside suggest that the western wall is remaining part of a Hindu temple. Based on art and architecture, this pre-existing structure can be identified as a Hindu temple."
"The sculptural representations of Vishnu, Shaiva Dwarpala, Shiva linga, Yonipatta without Shiva linga, Krishna, Ganesh, Hanuman, attendant figures, vyala, Nandi, etc. have been identified."