Sushant Aman
Sambhal district in Western Uttar Pradesh is currently in the limelight. It is being discussed everywhere, both domestically and internationally. It seems as if the entire Sambhal is seated on a historical heritage that was brutally “crushed” during the Mughal era. In reality, present-day Muslim-majority Sambhal was not always this way. In the past few decades, the Hindu population here has drastically declined. The primary reason behind this has been the history of riots in the region, in which hundreds of Hindus lost their lives over time, yet no government took action to address this issue. As a result, many frightened Hindus fled the area. Despite this, Sambhal has always held religious significance for Hindus. It is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Vishnu’s tenth and final avatar, Kalki. According to Hindu scriptures, Kalki is said to appear in Sambhal to end the Kali Yuga (Age of Darkness). In early 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a grand Kalki Dham and called for the establishment of the ‘Ram Rashtra’. It was claimed that Kalki’s incarnation would determine the future of thousands of years.
While discussions about the incarnation of Kalki Maharaj in Sambhal were taking place at the beginning of the year, by the end of the year, some Hindu groups started claiming that the Jama Masjid in Sambhal was built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Kalki. The matter reached the local court, where the petitioner alleged that during Babur’s invasion in 1526-27, the temple was destroyed and the mosque was constructed in its place. Historical texts like Baburnama and Akbarnama were cited as documentation of Babur’s destruction of the temple. The court ordered a survey, which led to riots in Sambhal on November 24, 2024. Supporters of the Jama Masjid refused to accept that their mosque was built on the ruins of a temple. Consequently, when the survey team arrived at the Jama Masjid on November 24, clashes broke out between the police and Muslims, resulting in five deaths. Eventually, the situation was brought under control.
Before the Jama Masjid vs. Kalki Temple dispute could settle down, news emerged once again from Sambhal after an ancient temple was discovered during an eviction drive in a Muslim-majority area. Following the violence during the Jama Masjid survey, the administration had launched a campaign against illegal encroachments and electrical hazards. On December 14, an ancient temple was discovered in the Khaggu Sarai area, which had been abandoned for about 50 years. This was the Kartikeswar Mahadev Temple, which had a Shivling and a Hanuman idol. Approximately 200 meters away from this temple was the house of SP MP Zia-ur-Rehman Bark. Later, a well was found near the temple, and during its excavation, several idols of deities were discovered. Another well was found 50 meters from the temple, located in front of a mosque. On December 17, another Radha Krishna temple was discovered in the Sarayatireen area of Sambhal, with a well found in its courtyard. Inside the temple, idols of Radha Krishna and Hanuman were present. The temple was cleaned afterward. On December 21, an ancient Banke Bihari temple was found in the Laxman Ganj area of the Chandausi tehsil.
It is said that Hindus had lived in this area in large numbers 25 years ago, but the population of Muslims gradually increased, and Hindus began to migrate. It is also reported that this temple was used for worship until 2010, but in that year, miscreants allegedly damaged the idol of Banke Bihari and other deities.
The history of Sambhal didn’t end there. On December 22, an old stepwell was discovered in the Laxman Ganj area of the Chandausi tehsil. It is believed that this stepwell is nearly 150 years old and spans about 400 square meters. Located around 150 meters from the Banke Bihari temple, local people claim that this is a 1857 stepwell. They also say that after the Hindus migrated, mafias took control of the area. History didn’t stop there either. On December 26, a death well was found around 200 meters from the Shahi Jama Masjid in the Khaggu Sarai area of Sambhal. According to the local ward member, this well is one of the 19 wells in Sambhal, though it has been closed for many years. The houses built nearby have dumped debris into it, but the municipal corporation is now digging it to revive this ancient well.
After the discovery of the stepwell in Chandausi, Raja Chandra Vijay Singh of Billari, a former MP and the ruler of Billari, held a press conference in his palace in Sahaspur. He stated that people had been talking about the discovery of a stepwell in Chandausi. This stepwell is three stories high, which is a rare feature in northern India, as stepwells are more common in Rajasthan and Gujarat. He also clarified that this stepwell belonged to his family and that there were two heirs: himself and his younger sister.
He requested the Archaeological Department to take it under their care and restore it so that it could become a tourist attraction for the people of Chandausi. He also mentioned that this stepwell was part of the Krishna Niwas Kothi, which was built by his ancestors, and a stone inscribed with “Krishna Niwas” is present at the site. If the administration examines the old records, the truth will be revealed.
