(18) Dvyāśraya Kāvya of Hemachandra Sūri
The Prākrita epic Dvyāśraya Kāvya written by Hemchandra Sūri, one of the greatest literary personalities India has ever produced is, by and large, a biography of the famous Jain King Kumārapāla. He was a great Jain Dharmāchārya and Prime Minister of King Kumārapāla. After ascending the throne in 1143 A.D. when Kumārapāla was free from internal and external strifes within a few years, he asked his guru Hemchandra Suri as to what was the noblest work that he should undertake. Hemchandra Suri suggested that the reconstruction of the Somanātha temple was the most sacred work to be undertaken. Here Hemchandra Suri does not say that it was destroyed by Mahamud of Ghazni. He says that this temple was destroyed on account of the waves of the ocean and, therefore, reconstruction was suggested by him. There was an occasion for Hemchandra Suri to tell him that it was destructed by Mahmud of Ghazni, but he never mentioned this ignominy of the Hindus inflicted by Mahmud of Ghazni. Hemchandra Suri had further advised Kumārapāla that so long as the construction of the temple would continue, he should abstain from meat and wine, and follow brahmāchārya. After two years the new temple was constructed and Hemchandra Suri took him to the sanctum sanctorum of Somanātha, the temple where a new Jyotirliñga was installed. He was present in all religious rites and installed the Jyotirlinaga in the newly constructed Somanātha temple. Hemchandra Suri was known as Kalikāla Sarvajña and this reconstruction took place only 120 years after the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni at Somanātha. Therefore, he was aware of this historical event of great defeat and demoralization in 1026 A.D. when the temple was desecrated and Jyotirlinga was destroyed.
(19) Inscription of Bhāva-Brihaspati in the Bhadrakālī mandir near Somanātha temple
There is an inscription at Pattan Somanātha in the Bhadrakali temple hardly 100 yards from the famous Somanātha temple. The inscription contains 64 lines and it asserts that Bhāva Brihaspati of Vārānasī was always perturbed by the demolition of Somnātha temple and, therefore, he went from Vārānasī to Saurāshtra and met the famous king Jaya Singh Siddharāja and impressed upon him to build a new temple at Somanātha, but before he could undertake the work Siddharāja died. Thereafter, Bhāva Brihaspati met the new King Kumārapāla and requested him to rebuild a new temple at Somanātha. Here also there was an occasion for Bhāva Brihaspati to tell the real reason for the destruction of the temple by Mahmud of Ghazni and his army but he never revealed the real reason for the destruction of the temple when he made his request to Kumārapāla. Rather he informed King Kumārapāla that this temple had decayed because of the negligence of the greedy and ill-conceived ministers and, therefore, he suggested to him to rebuild the temple. Kumārapāla was very happy with this suggestion and he granted the entire village for the maintenance of the family of Bhāva Brihaspati and his descendants.
(20) Śrīdhara’s Veraval inscription in the vicinity of Somanātha
Similarly, there is an inscription from Veraval in the vicinity of Somanātha dated 1216 A.D. It mentions Somanātha and its two temples built by the local Governor Śridhara. It showers praises on the Chālukya dynasty, Śrīdhara and the Śaiva priest of the temple. It narrates the subjugation of a heroic Hammira by Śrīdhara. But nowhere it directly or indirectly indicates the destruction of the famous temple or its restoration. The inscription consists of 51 verses in 40 lines. The two lines, which mention Somanātha in the inscription, are quoted below:
श्रीसोमनाथायतनस्य रेखा भूमेरिवोद्ध्र्वाङ्गुलिरत्र भाति।
अनन्यसाधारणशोभमेतत्पुं पुरारेरिति सूचयन्ती।। (verse 4)
This Somanātha temple is shining like a pointing finger of the Earth and indicates the exceedingly beautiful town of Mahadeva.
(21) Description of Somanātha by Abul Fazl
Abul Fazl has written extensively on Pattan Somanātha and its holy temples but nowhere does he mention that it was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni, although he mentions Mahmud of Ghazni in connection with the history of the area. The following is the account of Abul Fazl on Pattan Somanātha:
“In the second district is Pattan, a city on the seashore possessing a stone fort. This they call Patan Somnath. It is both a capacious harbour and a town having nine stone towers on the plain, within an area of three kos on the seashore. Good swords are made here, there being a well in the vicinity the water of which gives them a keen edge.
The ports of Manglor, Diu, Purbandar, Korinar, Ahmadpur and Mozaffarabad are about this coast. A spring of the Sarsuti (Saraswati) rises near Somnath. The Brahmanical shrines are numerous, but among these Somnath, Paranchi, and Korinar are accounted among the most sacred. Between the rivers Haran and Sarsuti about 4,000 years ago, 560,000,000 of the Yadu race while engaged in sport and merriment, fell to fighting and all of them perished in that field of death, and wonderful are the legends that they relate. Two and a half kos from Pattan Somnath is Bhal ka Tirath (or the shrine of the Arrow). In this place an arrow struck Sri Kishn and buried itself under a pipal tree on the banks of Sarsuti. This they call Pipal sir, and both these spots are held in great veneration. An extraordinary event occurs at the town of Mul Mahadeo where there is a temple dedicated to Siva. Every year on a certain day before the rainy season, a bird called Mukh appears. It is somewhat smaller than a pigeon, with a coarser beak and pied in colour. It alights on the temple, disports itself for a while, and then rolls over and dies. On this day, the people of the city assemble and burn and white kinds of perfume and from the proportions of black and white in the plumage of the bird, they calculate the extent of the coming rainfall, the black portending rain, the white, drought.”
Here Abul Fazl includes Somanātha temple amongst the most sacred temples but does not mention that it was once destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni, although he mentions Mahmud at several places in the history of this area.
Thus, there were these four occasions when the destruction of Somanātha temple by Mahmud of Ghazni could have been naturally mentioned but it was never done at all.
Etablished historians, who seek direct evidence to the demolition, must reply to the question as to how many ignominious events right from the days of Alexander to the mediaeval period have been described by poets, writers and historians in ancient and mediaeval period? Alexander’s invasion is totally blacked out in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature. In books like the Mudrā-Rākshasa by Viśākhadatta it should have been mentioned by the author but there is not even a hint of Alexander’s invasion and the defeat of some Indian kings like Porus. There is hardly any mention of Mahmud’s invasion and destruction of temples in Sanskrit or any Indian language. The writers might have felt disgusted in mentioning such types of incidents and, therefore, they have avoided, except very few cases where the temples were totally retrieved. The epic ‘Madhurā-vijaya’, composed by the Gangādevī, queen of Kumāra Kampana, son of Bukka Raya I, is one example which was written after the retrieval of the great Madurai temple.
(22) Mosques built during Aurangzeb’s period
Where writings remain mute, pictures speak and speak eloquently. The so-called Baburi Masjid, which had three domes, resembles many mosques which were built during Aurangzeb’s reign at his behest. The following few photographs confirm the fact that the disputed structure was constructed during Aurangzeb’s rule:
Gyān Vāpi mosque built at Vārānasī by the order of Aurangzeb.
It is recorded in Masir-i-Alamgiri of Muhammad Saki Mustaid Khan that this mosque was built after demolishing the famous Viśvanātha temple at Vārānasī following the general order of Aurangzeb issued on 9th April, 1669 to demolish all temples in the Empire. Mustaid Khan informs that on 2nd September, 1669 news came to the Court that according to Emperor’s command, his officers demolished the temple of Viśvanātha at Benaras. On the same site the present mosque was built and it is still in existence. Th
is mosque with three domes has striking resemblance to the so-called Baburi mosque.
Mosque built at Mathura on the Krishna-
janma-bhumi by Aurangzeb’s order.
Mustaid Khan writes in Masir-i-Alamgiri that in January 1670 which was the month of Ramzan, the religious-minded Emperor ordered the demolition of the temple on the Krishna-janma-bhumi at Mathura which was accomplished by his Officers in a short time, and a grand mosque replaced the Kesava Rai temple constructed by Bir Singh Deo Bundella in Jahangir’s time hardly half-a-century before the demolition. The grandeur of the temple had dazzled the Muslim chroniclers and the construction of the mosque involved a vast expenditure.
This mosque, too, has close resemblance to the so-called Baburi mosque.
Badshahi Mosque at Lahore.
This mosque was built in 1673-74 by Fedai Khan who had earlier demolished the temple of Rama on his birthplace at Ayodhya. An inscription over the entrance gate of the mosque, which is adjacent to the Lahore Fort, testifies to the fact that it was built by Fedai Khan at Aurangzeb’s command. Historically, this information is correct, for Fedai Khan was the Governor at Lahore during this period. Like other Aurangzebi mosques this, too, has three domes which were apparently bedecked with glasses subsequently. This mosque also largely resembles the disputed shrine.
There are many such mosques of Aurangzeb’s time which have three spires and have strong resemblance to the Baburi Masjid.
In contrast, the Panipat mosque, which is claimed to have been originally built at the behest of Babur in 1526 after his historic victory at Panipat, has only one dome and has a design different from that of the so-called Baburi mosque. A picture of the Panipat mosque, which is called Kabuli Bagh mosque also, is placed below:
Panipat mosque built
during Babur’s reign.
I have personally visited all these places except Lahore and compared architectural designs of the mosques. Mosques at Ayodhya, Benaras and Mathura constructed at the command of Aurangzeb have largely similar look.
During the reign of Aurangzeb most of the mosques built at the behest of the Emperor are three-arched shrines. Thus, the photographs of the mosques shown above are conclusive proof that the disputed mosque was constructed after demolishing a temple at the site during the reign of Aurangzeb. Now there should be no doubt about this indisputable historical fact.
(23) Fedai Khan, the iconoclast
Now the question arises as to when it was demolished during the reign of Aurangzeb?
Svargadvāra temple is called Rāma-darbar by many Muslim writers and it is reported that it was demolished by Fedai Khan, the Governor of Aurangzeb. From Masir-ul-Umara, written by Nawab Shams-ud-Daula Shah Nawaz Khan and his son Abdul Hai Khan and translated into English by Beni Prasad and H. Beveridge, it appears that Fedai Khan was the Subedar of Awadh from 1658 to 1662 A.D. He was again Governor of Awadh during the period of 1669-71 A.D. The Masir-ul-Umara informs that Fedai Khan distinguished himself during his long service under the Emperor Shah Jahan by his rectitude and trust-worthiness. When Aurangzeb ascended the throne, Fedai Khan was, on account of his fosterage relation, the recipient of royal favours. If further furnishes the following information: “When the King, in pursuit of Dara Shukoh, halted at the garden of Agharabad near Delhi; he was given a drum and sent off with the Amiru i umara Shaista K. to dispose of the affair of Sulaiman Shukoh who had hastened from Lucknow and was seeking to join his father. The Khan (Fedai) went ahead of the Amiru-i-umara to Buriya (?) and learnt that Sulaiman Shukoh wished to go with the assistance of Prithi Singh, the ruler of Srinagar, by the crossing at Haridwar to Lahore. Fedai travelled eighty kos in twenty-four hours and arrived at Haridwar. On account of his arrival, Sulaiman Shukoh was unable to cross and had to go to the hill-country, to Srinagar. Fedai returned to court and obtained leave to go with Khalil Ullah K. who had been appointed to pursue Dara Shukoh. At the time when Aurangzeb came to Qasur with the intention of proceeding to Multan, he was summoned to the presence, and on the death of Iradat K., the subahdar of Oudh, he was made faujdar thereof and of Gorakhpur. After the battle with Shuja and his flight, he was appointed to assist Muazzam K. Mir Jumla and attached to Sultan Muhammad and directed to pursue the fugitive Shuja. When Sultan Muhammad in the very crisis of the struggle with his uncle became vexed by the supremacy of Muazzam K. and joined Shuja and afterwards repented and became an object of ridicule by returning to the imperial army, Muazzam K., in accordance with orders, sent Fedai with a body of troops to take charge of the prince and to conduct him to court. In the fourth year he became Mir Atish (superintendent of artillery) in succession to Safshikan K., and received a robe
of honour.”
Here it is important to note that Iradat Khan died in August 1658 and thereafter Fedai became the subedar of Ayodhyā. Muhammad Saki Mustaid Khan furnishes information in Maasir-i Alamgiri that in the fourth year, i.e. 1662 Fedai Khan became Mir Atish i.e. Superintendant of Artillery. Since Dara Shukoh had claimed to have been blessed by Rāma in a dream, he was considered an apostate both by Aurangzeb and Fedai Khan and this was the reason that all the temples of Ayodhyā including that of Janma-sthāna were demolished by Fedai Khan at the behest of Aurangzeb in 1660 A.D. after the brutal execution of Dara Shukoh in August, 1659 and fatally flawed flight of Shuja from Decca on May 6, 1660. Therefore, it appears that when Fedai Khan was the Governor of Oudh during the period 1658-62 A.D.,the three temples at Ayodhyā were demolished. Had it been done in 1670 A.D. after the general order of Aurangzeb to demolish all temples in his jurisdiction, probably it would have been mentioned in Maasir-i-Alamgiri of Saki Mustaid Khan, as it has been done in case of Viśvanātha temple at Kāśī and that of Keśava Rai temple at Mathurā. Similarly, had it been done during the stay of Lal Das at Ayodhyā between 1667 and 1675 A.D., it would have been very difficult for him to completely ignore it in the Avadha Vilāsa.
The fact that Fedai Khan was the Governor of Awadh after the death of Iradat Khan in August 1658 is confirmed by the exhaustive table 4(a) prepared by M. Athar Ali in his book ‘Mughal India; Studies in Polity, Ideas, Society and Culture’ (p. 273). It appears that till April 1660 Fedai Khan was engaged in military expeditions against Shuja. In February 1660 Muhammad Sultan returned to his father’s fold with a fond hope of forgiveness from Aurangzeb. Fedai Khan had been entrusted to escort him to the imperial fort. Khafi Khan informs in Muntakhab-Al Luab that when Fedai Khan reached the court, he was received with royal favours. (Aurangzeb in Muntakhab-Al Lubab by Anees Jahan Syed, p. 153). But after he handed over the custody of Prince Muhammad Sultan to Alah Yar Khan on 26th April, 1660/25th Shabas under the Emperor’s order, he was free from the burden of military expeditions. Thereafter, he had ample time to carry out the instruction of the Emperor in regard to the demolition of shrines at Ayodhyā.
Fedai was a favourite officer of Aurangzeb who was entrusted with the demolition of temples and construction of mosques at the command of the Emperor, as it is gleaned from the following reference of Chhatra-prakāsa written by Lal Kavi.
Fedai Khan, the foster brother of Aurangzeb Alamgir, was a favourite officer of the Emperor who used to assign him important task of demolishing temples and breaking idols. It is clear from a contemporary composition ‘Chhatra-prakāsa’, written by Lal Kavi alias Gore Lāla. He was a family priest of king Chhatrasāla, Raja of Bundelkhand and a brave warrior who accompanied the king in many of his battles. The Bundela king raised the banner of revolt against Aurangzeb so valiantly that Poet Bhūshana wrote ^ शिवा को सराहूं कि सराहूँ छत्रसाल को’] i.e should I praise Sivaji or Chhatrasāla?
Chhatraprakāsa is a book on the history of the Bundelas and its details are, by and large, historically correct. The book was first published at Fort William in 1829 by its editor Major Price. Capt. W.R. Pogson of the Bengal Army wrote the book ‘A History of the Bundelas’, wherein he incorporated his English translation of Lal Kavi’s composition. Lal
Kavi informs that when Aurangzeb ascended the throne, he started harassing the Hindus by various means such as imposing heavy taxes on them and demolishing their temples.
जब तें साह तखत पर बैठे। तबतै हिन्दुन सौ उर ऐठे।
महंगे कर तीरथनि लगाये। बेद दिवालै निदर ढहाये।।१२।।
घर घर बांधि जेजिया लीन्हे। अपने मन भाये सब कीनै।
स्बा रजपूत सीस नित नावै। एस्ंड़ करै तिन पैदल धावै।।१३।।
एस्ंड़ एक शिवराज निबाही। करै आपनै चित की चाही।
आठ पातसाही झुकझौरै। सूबनि बाधिं डांड़ले छोरै।।१४।
It has been lucidly translated by Pogson in the following words:
“From the time that Ourungzeb ascended the throne, a great persecution of the Hindoos commenced : their temples were pulled down; their places of religious resort destroyed; their images mutilated; and a tax was levied on every house. The Rajpoots of the adjacent country were conquered, made obedient to the Emperor, and powerful armies were against those who resisted his commands. All were reduced to submission except one Raja, named Sheo Raj, who set a noble example of heroism and independence.
Ayodhya Revisited Page 38