Claims of Hindu temple within dargah premises in Fatehpur Sikri, court case filed

An Agra-based advocate has filed a court case claiming the presence of a Hindu temple within the premises of a dargah (shrine) in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur Sikri.

According to advocate Ajay Pratap Singh, a civil court in Agra has accepted his claim. He has identified the Dargah of Salim Chishti in Fatehpur Sikri as the temple of Goddess Kamakhya, with the adjacent mosque forming a part of the temple complex.

The advocate argued that the disputed property, currently under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India, was originally the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Kamakhya. He also challenged the belief that Fatehpur Sikri was founded by Akbar, asserting that references to Sikri, also known as Vijaypur Sikri, appear in Baburnama, indicating its earlier significance.

Citing archaeological evidence, the advocate pointed to excavations conducted by former Superintending Archaeologist DB Sharma, which revealed Hindu and Jain artefacts dating back to around 1000 AD. British officer EB Howell also described the disputed property's pillars and roof as Hindu sculpture, disputing its classification as a mosque.

Further, historical references suggest that during the Khanwa war, the king of Sikri, Rao Dhamdev, transported the consecrated idol of Mata Kamakhya to safety in Ghazipur, thereby reinforcing the temple's ancient roots, he claimed.

Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh emphasised that according to law, once a structure is established as a temple, its nature cannot be altered.

The case has been brought before a civic court, with Judge Mrityunjay Srivastava ordering the issuance of notices.

The advocate had earlier filed a court case claiming that an idol of Lord Krishna was buried beneath the stairs of Jama Masjid.

Aasthan Mata Kamakhya, Arya Sanskriti Preservation Trust, Yogeshwar Shri Krishna Cultural Research Institute Trust, Kshatriya Shaktipeeth Vikas Trust, and Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh are the plaintiffs in the case.

Meanwhile, the defendants are the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Management Committees of Dargah Salim Chishti and Jama Masjid.