Four deaths occurred in the violence that broke out during the poll at Sambhal Masjid. About the disputed mosque, one side says that it was built by demolishing the temple. Now, for this reason, Ain-e-Akbari’s book is also continuously mentioned during the survey. There is a 16th century account in a book written by Akbar’s court historian, Abul Fazal. So is this disputed place of Sambhal also mentioned in it, and in what way?
In the Sambhal Masjid controversy, reference is made to Ain-e-Akbari. The architecture of Akbar’s time is mentioned a lot in the book. It also tells how many religious buildings were being built at that time. Sambhal was an important cultural and administrative center during that period, which was followed by the construction of many mosques or the conversion of existing religious structures into new sites. Since the book not only analyzes the religious structure but also the culture of the Sambhal region, it acts as a reference of sorts.
First of all, let’s understand the last case. A petition was filed before the Sambhal District Court, stating that the Jama Masjid located there was built on the foundation of a very old Shri Hari temple. It is claimed that the temple was demolished and converted into a mosque during the Mughal period.
A study of the mosque was recently carried out. It is alleged that as soon as the team came out after completing the survey, the crowd surrounded them and started creating ruckus. Meanwhile, the miscreants allegedly started pelting stones at the police and inspection team. In an attempt to control the crowd, police also fired shots into the air and threw tear gas. Many lives were lost in all this chaos. Now, in the series of controversies, there is also a controversy about how he died. For now let’s talk about Ain-e-Akbari.
The book written in Persian is part of Akbarnama by Abul Fazal. Akbarnama had three parts.
– The first mentions the ruler’s ancestors and their activities.
The second section is related to Akbar’s period, which talks about royal weapons, officers and methods.
– The third book i.e. Ain-e-Akbari contains incidents and rules related to governance. Its translation into English was made by Henry Beveridge in the 20th century.
In this, along with the mention of Sambhal, it is written that the city is an important cultural centre, counted among the major provinces of the Mughal Empire. There is also talk of its strategic importance because at that time it would have been one of the main routes and commercial centers in northern India. That is why it was also an important source of income. It is speculated that many religious or cultural changes may have been made here to strengthen their roots.
Although the demolition of the temple and the construction of a mosque are not overtly mentioned in the book, these things are supposedly mentioned in other books related to it. As written in Baburnama, the Babar commander partially demolished the temple and converted it into a mosque in the mid-16th century. Similarly, on page number 281 of Ain-e-Akbari, the Harimandal temple of the city of Sambhal is mentioned. Apart from this, most of the things in Sambhal’s case are related to the economic aspect. The book also talks about the officers posted at Sambhal and the administrative system there. The historian has also written on topics such as the tax system, food and festivals in the state.
What is happening right now?
The petitioners also raised questions about the ASI’s control over the disputed mosque. We tell you that the site has now been included among the protected monuments, whose entire responsibility for maintenance and control falls on the ASI. According to its rules, in addition to protection, the movement of ordinary people should also be allowed. However this is not happening. Now it is demanded that arrangements be made so that Hindus can also come and go here.
There is also another side to this. The Muslim community, including the Mosque Management Committee, opposes the survey. To this end, he cited the Places of Worship Law of 1991, which prohibits changing the status of any religious place built before independence.
