Rediscovery of Sambhal's Historic Shrines: ASI's Extensive Survey

An ASI team conducted a detailed inspection of shrines and wells in Sambhal, UP. The discovery of a once-closed temple has delighted locals, sparking a wave of visits and prayers. This rediscovery follows an anti-encroachment drive revealing significant cultural heritage after decades of closure.

In a significant cultural revelation, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) sent a four-member team to Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday to conduct an in-depth inspection of five 'teerth' (shrines) and 19 wells. District Magistrate Dr. Rajender Pensiya confirmed the extensive eight to ten-hour survey, with the ASI team covering approximately 24 areas in total.

The survey also covered a newly discovered historic temple, which had been revealed during an anti-encroachment campaign led by district police and administration on December 14. The temple immediately resumed its religious activities, holding its first morning aarti on December 20, amid heightened security measures. BJP leader and former member of Uttar Pradesh's Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission, Geeta Pradhan, visited the temple on Wednesday to offer prayers.

Pradhan expressed her joy over the temple's reopening, acknowledging the role of the administration, led by the efforts of Honorable Yogi Adityanath. She highlighted the rediscovery's significance to the local Hindu community, who can now visit the ancient temple after 46 years of closure due to a lack of a resident priest, as confirmed by Vishnu Sharan Rastogi of the Nagar Hindu Sabha.

(With inputs from agencies.)