Sambhal temple: Administration writes to ASI for carbon dating, steps up security at site

Sambhal (UP): The Sambhal district administration has written to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for carbon dating of the Bhasma Shankar temple, including a well there, officials said on Sunday, days after the reopening of the temple locked since 1978 following communal riots in the town.

Worshippers have started visiting the temple and it is being guarded round the clock, they said.

"This is the temple of Kartik Mahadev. A well has been found here. This is Amrit Koop. Security guards have been permanently posted here and CCTV cameras have also been installed. Puja has also started in the temple. There is encroachment here, which is being removed," District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya said.

"We have written a letter to ASI for carbon dating of the temple and the well," he added.

Carbon dating is a method used to determine the age of archaeological artefacts from ancient sites.

Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar said that all roads leading to the temple have been covered with CCTV cameras and a control room is also being set up there.

"There will be round-the-clock security in the temple and permanent police deployment is being ensured," the SP said.

Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel have been posted at the site.

The Bhasma Shankar temple was reopened on Friday after authorities said that they stumbled upon the covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive.

Referring to the reopening of the temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said it did not appear overnight and represents "our enduring heritage and the truth of our history".

Mahant Acharya Vinod Shukla, the temple priest, said worshippers have begun visiting and offering prayers.

Local resident Mohit Rastogi expressed gratitude over the temple's reopening.

"I had heard about this temple from my grandfather," he said, after offering water to the Shivling and reciting prayers. "I thank the district administration for allowing us to reconnect with our heritage," he added.

The temple is situated in the Khaggu Sarai area which is just over a kilometre away from the Jama Masjid where violence had taken place on November 24 during a protest against a court-ordered survey of a mosque.

The temple houses an idol of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling. It had remained locked since 1978 after the communal riots led to the displacement of the local Hindu community, locals claimed.

The temple also has a well nearby which the authorities plan to reopen.

Some residents on Saturday shared their memories of the temple, with many highlighting its importance for the community.

Vishnu Shankar Rastogi, the 82-year-old patron of the Nagar Hindu Mahasabha, said, "I have lived in Khaggu Sarai since my birth. After the 1978 riots, our community was forced to migrate from the area. This temple, dedicated to our Kulguru, has been locked since then." Weeks after four people died in the violence during the protest against the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid here, the administration has launched a campaign to tackle encroachments and power theft in areas around the Mughal-era mosque.