In a fresh twist into the developments in Trimbakeshwar, a saint has claimed that there is an idol of Lord Ganesh and other Gods and Goddess below the nearby dargah and demanded excavation and survey.
Mahant Swami Aniket Shastri Maharaj, who is the head of Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti’s Maharashtra unit, made the demand on Friday.
The temple of Lord Shiva at Trimbak in the Trimbakeshwar tehsil of Nashik district - is one of the 12 revered jyotirlingas of India.
The Godavari river originates from Trimbakeshwar. The temple is located between three hills namely Brahmagiri, Nilagiri and Kalagiri.
The extraordinary feature of the jyotirlinga located here is that the linga in the temple is in the form of a three faced embodying Tridev - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiv.
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There are two dargahs in Trimbakeshwar - Hazrat Pir Syed Gulab Shahwali Baba Dargah and Hazrat Pir Karim Shahwali Dargah.
According to Swami Aniket Shatri, the Hazrat Pir Syed Gulab Shahwali Baba Dargah is actually built on a cave of the Nath Sect of Baba Goraknath.
Equating it with the Gyanvapi mosque issue, he said: “There are several Hindu idols including Lord Ganesha, other deities and symbols there”.
He demanded that the Archaeological Survey of India carries out proper excavations and surveys.
Trimbakeshwar is in news since May 13 when photos and videos went viral of a group of Muslims - during an ‘urs’ with ‘chhadar’ and ‘dhoop’ tried to enter the Trimbakeshwar temple.
A section of locals and politicians say that re Muslim devotees were merely trying to offer 'incense dhoop' as they traditionally do after their 'urs'.
The Shree Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust-Nashik has lodged a formal complaint with the police. The Nashik Rural police has registered an FIR into the incident.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, announced formation of a Special Investigation Team.
In a related development, Additional Director General of Police Dr Sukhwinder Singh, who heads the SIT, visited the Trimbakeshwar temple complex and spoke of the trustees of the temple trust.