How Aurangzeb brought justice to Hindus at Kashi temple
Here are some extracts (English translation) from the book, Aurangazeb, EK Nai Drishti, written by Dr. Om Prakash Prasad :-
Page 20-21: “P. Sitaram Nath has made mention of a revealing truth about demolishing of Kashi Vishwanath temple at Benares. B.N. Pandey has also given a place to it in his own writings. According to him eight queens of Kutch went to have a darshan in Kashi Vishwanath temple, out of which one beautiful queen was abducted by the mahants. Aurangzeb was informed about it by the King of Kutch. Aurangzeb did not pay any heed to it telling that it is a matter involving the Hindus themselves and that it would not be proper for him to take any action in the matter. When the king of Kutch made repeated prayers, Aurangzeb dispatched some Hindu soldiers to find out the truth but the hoodlums of the Mahant chided and beat the Hindu soldiers sent by Aurangzeb.
Stinking idol: “Aurangzeb did not relish it and sent some able soldiers to find out the truth but the pandas of the temple opposed them and challenged them bravely. Mughal soldiers also accepted the challenge.
“In the context of the battle that took place between the soldiers and pandas inside the temple, the temple was demolished, and such a consequence is natural in a battle.
“The soldiers succeeded in making an entry into the temple and they began to make a search for the lost queen.
In this connection, a tunnel was detected behind the chief idol out of which pungent smell was coming out. For two days chemicals were sprinkled to do away with the bad smell and the soldiers were guarding the place.
“Third day the soldiers were able to enter the tunnel and discover many skeletons (all of women) The dead body of the lost queen was also found out. It was naked. Due to continued and collective rape she was dead. The chief Mahant was arrested and he was given stringent punishment”.
Temple loot dept. Page 12-13: “Hindu rulers were more engaged in looting the temples in comparison to the Muslim rulers. We have no information about creation of a templeloot department during the reign of any Muslim ruler, on the other hand, Harsha ruler of Kashmir, created a department called temple loot, in the 12th century. Its only duty was to loot the riches collected in the temples. Half the looted property was distributed among the soldiers engaged in the loot and the remaining half was usurped by the King.
“To cover up revenue deficits, the tendency to loot the temple properties became stronger day by day. Apart from properties offered by the devotees he made Udai Raj the leader of uprooting the idols made of gold and silver.
Urine poured on gods:
“Before looting the idols, Udai Raj used to get urine and night soil sprinkled over them through naked beggars. The idols were dragged on the road by tying a rope in the legs of the idols. Not a single village or town was left in the kingdom whose idol was not uprooted.
Kalhan was made mention of Sri Ramswami and Sri Martanddev idols being saved from this indignity.
“Two idols of Bhagwan Buddha were also spared. Harsh brought under his own control villages given in gift for meeting the cost of worship in these temples.
Gujarat temples:
“Parmar King Subhat Burman (1193-1230) attacked Gujarat and looted many Jain temples at Dabhoi and Khambhat. The rulers thought it fit to collect riches by looting the temples instead of looting thousands of families from many points of view because the riches collected in the temples has been the main source of corruption and loose morals.
Hindu caretaker for Muslims:
Page 62: Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India writes in his book, India Divided: Munshi Sujan Rai, who was a historian during the reign of Aurangazeb, writes in his book, Khulastul Tabarikh, that there is a Majar of Shah Samsuddin Dariayi in village Deepaliwal near Kalanur. Both Hindus and Muslims are devoted to him. Right from his life time one Hindu named Deepali was so much devoted to him that after his death both Hindus and Muslims jointly made him the caretaker of his Majar. After many years some Musalmans, under the cover of religion, wanted to remove him from the post of caretaker, but Aurangzeb did not allow this and today (when this book is being written) it is the third year of Aurangzeb’s rule and the caretaker of the Majar is still a Hindu as before.
“Aaurangazeb granted Zagirs to Giridhar, S/o Jagjiwan, resident of village Basti in the then Banaras district, Balbhadra and Jadunath Misra of Maheshpur, Pargana Haveli. All these were priests of the temples.
“A sum of Rs. 100 was fixed for meeting the expenses of the Tutlamayee temple in Multan. This temple is extant”.
Conclusion: We have to examine all these questions of temple and mosque in the light of past history. Christianity is not free from corruption and malpractices in churches. We of North India only hear about Devadasi system in South India. Only South Indian people can tell us about its present position. After having known so much, would you still like to visit a temple and offer prayer – especially through a panda?
