Qutub Minar not ‘Vishnu pillar’, demand for reconstruction of temples meaningless: Former ASI officer

Former Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) BR Mani on Monday termed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) claim that Qutub Minar was originally a ‘Vishnu pillar’ and cautioned that structures in the complex Any tampering with it will result in revoking the World Heritage status granted by UNESCO in 1993.

However, Mani said that it is a fact that 27 Hindu temples were demolished at that site and their remains were also used in the construction of Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque and Qutub Minar, but the reconstruction of these temples The demand is ‘meaningless’. There is no trace of the location of these temples at the site.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday demanded that the government rebuild all the 27 Hindu temples in the Qutub Minar complex and allow the resumption of Hindu rituals.

VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal also claimed that the 73-metre high Qutub Minar was originally a ‘Vishnu Pillar’ over a temple of Lord Vishnu built during the time of a Hindu ruler.

Asked about the VHP’s claim, Mani said, “I also believe that there were 27 temples. There is evidence in support of this. There is no doubt about it. But no one knows where those 27 temples were located, what was their form, what was the structure.

Mani, who has been associated with the Archaeological Survey of India for more than three decades, is currently the Vice President of the Archaeological Society of India, which promotes and disseminates knowledge in all aspects about archaeology.

Mani said that it is written on the inscription of Qutbuddin Aibak that the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was constructed using the rubble of 27 temples that were demolished at the site.

He said, “The ruins of the temples are scattered all over the site, but there was no elevated platform, platform or anything else that could help in locating those temples. Something like Adhishthana (Aadhaar platform) should have been found.

According to news agency PTI, Mani said, “They (Muslim rulers) destroyed everything at the time of the invasion. After that constructed the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque using the rubble of Hindu temples and erected a minaret on it. So there is no point in rebuilding them.

Mani had directed 20 archaeological excavations in India, including the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, during his 31-year long service in the ASI.

Dismissing VHP’s claim that Qutub Minar was originally a ‘Vishnu Stambh’ built over a Vishnu temple, Mani said a 20-25 feet deep excavation was done on the spot in 1967 to strengthen the foundation of the monument , but there is no sign of any temple.

He said, ‘It’s just a fantasy. There was nothing there, no temple was found there.’ He said that ‘Vishnu Stambh’ is already standing at the site in the form of an iron pillar.

He said that there are many types of minarets of this period in Central Asia, which one can see.

He said, “It is not proper to cast any doubts on the minaret. People have studied it very well. If any attempt is made to give it a different perception then it is not right.