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These Viral Images Are Not Of the Gyanvapi Mosque. Old Images Shared With Misleading Context!
Writer: Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
India, 18 May 2022 11:28 AM GMT
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Creatives : Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
A couple of images of Hindu religious structures have gone viral across social media claiming that the viral images are linked with Gyanvapi Mandir. The Logical Indian fact check team verified the claim.
A couple of images of Hindu religious structures have gone viral across social media. The images have gone viral in the context of the recent pending legal judgments in the case of the Gyanvapi Mosque.
Following the alleged discovery of a 'shivling' at the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex, the Supreme Court has ruled that there would be no restrictions on Muslims offering namaz in the mosque. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee from the Muslim side has claimed that the object being described as Shivling is a fountain in the Wazu Khana (ablution) area.
Claim 1:
The viral tweets contain an image of a statue of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva and a photo of the Gyanvapi mosque. The viral tweet also contains an image of the Gyanvapi mosque. The viral tweet claims that "Nandi always has his face towards the Shivling, but Nandi of Kashi Vishwanath faces the Gyanwapi mosque, the original Vishwanath Mandir. Muslims offer Namaz in the Masjid while Nandi gazes at the door, waiting for his master Shiva to appear."
The claim implies that the statue of Nandi, as attached in the viral post, is located in Varanasi facing the alleged Shivling in the Gyanvapi mosque. The claim asserts that the mosque was built upon the original Vishwanath Mandir.
Claim 2:
This viral tweets contain an image of an excavation site with an uncovered mosque. The claim is shared with a sarcastic intent alleging that the mosque contains a shivling underneath. The viral post claims that temples containing a 'shivling' was destroyed and a mosque had been built on top of it, alluding to the Gyanvapi controversy.
Another user wrote, "The Shivling is 12 feet by 8 inches in diameter in #ज्ञानवापी_मंदिर #BabaMilGaye. Now The Hindu side is seeking permission to worship daily at the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex, Har Har Mahadev."
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian Fact Check team verified the viral claim and found it to be false. Viral images are not related to Gyanvapi Mandir.
Image 1:
Taking the first image into account, we conducted a reverse image search. We came across the following image on the travel website Trip Advisor. The location attached with the photo stated that the statue of the Nandi Bull is from Wai in Maharashtra.
We also come across this photo uploaded on August 1, 2011, on Shutterstock's official website. The description stated that the Nandi Bull statue is from the complex of Kashi Vishweshwar temple located in Wai, Maharashtra.
The statue can be seen in this video uploaded on April 11, 2013 on the channel WildFilmsIndia as well.
The Kashi Visheshwar temple is located in Wai, Satara in Maharashtra established at the confluence of the Rivers Krishna and Venna. The main temple shrine is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and the statue of Nandi bull is located within the temple. There is no association between the statue of Nandi and the Gyanvapi mosque.
Image 2:
For the second image, we conducted a reverse image search and came across this report by WION published on May 28, 2020, which contained the same image.
The report detailed how the Archeological Survey of India had discovered a 9th-century era monolithic sandstone Shiv Ling. The Shiva Ling was excavated at Mỹ Sơn in Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The discovery was made during the ongoing conservation project in the Cham Temple Complex, Vietnam.
We also came across The Print article dated 27 May 2020, which states that India and Vietnam share a long, rich civilisational history that dates back to 2,000 years ago.
Dr S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India tweeted about this discovery as well affirming that the Shivlinga was uncovered at the Cham Temple Complex in Mỹ Sơn in Quang Nam province of Vietnam.
Conclusion:
The claim implies that the statue of Nandi, as attached in the viral post, is located in Varanasi facing the alleged Shivling in the Gyanvapi mosque. The claim asserts that the mosque was built upon the original Vishwanath Mandir. The second viral post claims that temples containing a 'shivling' was destroyed and a mosque had been built on top of it, alluding to the Gyanvapi controversy.
In actuality, the Nandi statue is located in the Kashi Visheshwar temple at Wai, Satara in Maharashtra. The main temple shrine is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and the statue of the Nandi bull is located within the temple. There is no association between the statue of Nandi and the Gyanvapi mosque.
The Shiva Ling shown in the second image was excavated at Mỹ Sơn in Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The discovery was made by the Archeological Survey of India during the ongoing conservation project in the Cham Temple Complex, Vietnam.
Ifyou have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at +91 6364000343.
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