AGENCIES
In another controversial petition filed by the chief of Hindu Sena Vishnu Gupta has claimed that the renowned Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the mausoleum of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, was originally a Hindu Shiva temple.
The petition has sparked significant debate, and a local court in Ajmer, under Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel, has issued notices to the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the Ajmer Dargah Committee for further investigation.
Gupta, in his petition, argues that there was a Hindu temple at the site, similar to claims made about other religious sites in India, such as those in Kashi and Mathura. He referred to the work of Har Bilas Sarda, a prominent figure from the British era, who, in 1910, allegedly documented the presence of a Hindu temple beneath the dargah. According to Sarda’s writings, there was a tradition that a Brahmin family would place sandalwood on an idol of Mahadeva (Shiva) inside a cellar in the dargah.
Gupta’s petition also suggests that the dargah was built over the ruins of Hindu and Jain temples. He further claimed that locals had spoken of a priest who once prayed at the site, with a Shiva lingam placed in the basement, which has since been removed.
The petition and the resulting legal action have raised concerns about potential religious discord. Syed Sarwar Chishty, the Gaddi Nasheen (custodian) of the Ajmer Dargah, strongly opposed the claims, stating that the petition is an attempt to sow hatred against the Muslim community. He emphasized that the dargah has long been a symbol of interfaith unity and is respected by people of all religions.