13.37 Acres of Land in Mathura Where Krishna Temple and Eidgah Mosque Are Both Situated
Hindus believe the entire land belongs to them, while Muslims believe the mosque land belongs to them. Read this article to know the truth.
Mathura, 5251 Years Ago
Kansa was the king of Mathura. A heavenly declaration foretold his death at the hands of Devaki’s eighth child. He imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaki in jail.
Devaki gave birth to Krishna at midnight in jail.
That jail in Mathura became Krishna Janma Bhumi.
The First Temple
5000 Years Ago
After the Mahaprayan of Krishna, his great-grandson Vajranabha built a huge temple on Krishna Janma Bhumi.
The present site known as Krishna Janmasthan was called Katra Keshavdeva at that time.
The Second Temple
400 CE (1600 Years Ago)
The temple was renovated many times by various Hindu kings over time.
A whole new magnificent temple complex was rebuilt at the site by Gupta Emperor Chandragupta Vikramaditya in the 5th century.
1017 CE
The temple was attacked during the raids of the Ghaznavids.
1150 CE – The Third Temple
The temple was rebuilt by the Gahadavala dynasty of Kannauj, who were Vishnu worshipers.
A stone inscription found at the site mentions that the temple was brilliantly white and sky-high.
1504
The temple was demolished again by Delhi Sultan Sikandar Lodhi.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabhacharya visited Mathura in the early 16th century.
1618 – The Fourth Temple
The temple was rebuilt by Raja Veer Singh Bundela of Orchha and named Katra Keshavdev Temple.
1669
But the worst attack on the temple happened when Mughal King Aurangzeb demolished the temple and built a mosque on it (Shahi Eidgah Mosque).
During the East India Company rule, to stop Hindu-Muslim conflict, the East India Company took over the entire land of the temple and mosque.
1815
The East India Company auctioned the entire land of Katra Keshav Dev, measuring 13.37 acres, which included the mosque as well.
This entire land was purchased by Banarasi banker Raja Patnimal.
Legally, he became the owner of the entire land. He wanted to build a temple there but couldn’t.
1944
Madan Mohan Malaviya acquired the entire land from Raj Krishna Das, a descendant of Raja Patnimal, at the cost of Rs. 13,000, with the financial help of industrialist Jugal Kishore Birla.
1951
India had gained independence. Following the death of Malaviya, Jugal Kishore Birla formed a trust named Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust, later registered as the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, and acquired the full 13.37 acres of land to start constructing the temple.
1956
A Trust, Shri Krishna Janmasthan Sewa Sangh, was established to manage the affairs of the temple.
Temple construction continued, but the most difficult part was to remove the mosque from there. Although legally Hindus were the owners of the entire land, Muslims did not vacate it.
1968
Now read this part carefully, because the most important twist comes in 1968, and it is still the reason for the ongoing dispute.
An agreement was reached between the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh and the Shahi Eidgah committee, resulting in a compromise agreement.
This agreement granted the temple land to the Hindu Trust and management of the Shahi Eidgah to the Eidgah committee. It was also decided that no legal claim of the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh would be on the Shahi Eidgah.
It was a misguided agreement by the Hindu side.
2020
A plea was filed seeking a survey of the Shahi Idgah mosque located in the same complex as the Katra Keshav Dev Temple, close to the spot known as ‘Krishna Janmabhoomi’.
The plea argued that the original jail where Krishna is believed to have been born lies beneath the Eidgah.
Case Still Ongoing
The Hindu’s argument is that the mosque was built by demolishing the temple, making it an illegal structure, while the Muslims claim that it was not built by demolishing the temple, and in 1968, the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Sewa Sangh had already given the rights to them.
Hindus argue that the Shree Krishna Janmasthan Sewa Sangh did not have the authority to transfer the land to the Muslims and that it was a fraudulent act by the Sunni Waqf Board.
The Hindus demand that the entire 13.37-acre area belongs to Krishna Janma Bhumi and that Hindus are the legal owners of that land.
Hindus also claim that before the demolition by Aurangzeb, the mosque was originally the sabhamandap (assembly hall) part of the temple.
Hindus want the Muslims to relocate their mosque to another site and hand over the entire Janma Bhumi complex to the Hindus.
The case is still under trial.
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