Gyanvapi Controversy: Devotees Flock for Chaitra Navratri Prayers

Devotees gathered at the Shri Shringar Gauri temple during Chaitra Navratri for the only day Hindus can pray at Gyanvapi, amid its mosque-temple dispute. A 2021 petition seeking regular worship is in court. The Allahabad High Court dismissed a challenge to Hindus’ right to worship in May 2023.

On a rare occasion, Hindu devotees visited the Shri Shringar Gauri temple, located at the western gate of the Gyanvapi mosque, for Chaitra Navratri prayers. This marks the only day in the year when Hindus are allowed to pray at this contested site.

The Gyanvapi complex has been the focal point of a significant mosque-temple dispute, with regular worship restricted since the 1992 Babri Masjid incident. In 2021, five women filed a petition to gain regular worship rights at the temple, a matter currently under legal consideration.

Recently, the Allahabad High Court rejected the Anjuman Intazamia Mosque Committee's attempt to challenge the lawsuit filed by women worshippers seeking ongoing worship rights. Since 2005, devotees have been permitted to engage in collective prayer during Chaitra Navratri, highlighting ongoing religious and legal tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)