Waiting For Shiva (Hindi), Pratiksha Shiv Ki

There are few places in the world that carry the weight of history with the ease and resilience as Kashi, or Varanasi, does. This sacred city symbolizes the soul of our civilization and the resilience demonstrated over centuries in the face of numerous adversities and destructive attacks.

Pratiksha Shiv Ki: Gyanvapi Kashi Ke Satya Ka Udgathan revisits the history, antiquity, and sanctity of Kashi as the abode of Lord Shiva in his forms as Vishweshwar or Vishwanath. According to tradition, Shiva himself assured his devotees that performing their mortal rites in this city would grant them moksha (liberation).

The book sheds light on the self-manifested Jyotirlinga temple of Vishweshwar, which has served as a sanctuary for devotees and has also been the target of iconoclastic attacks over the centuries. Whenever the temple was destroyed or attempts were made to demolish it, it reemerged with greater vigor and glory, standing resilient in the life of the city.

The temple suffered its last major blow in 1669 when the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb partially demolished the western wall to erect some domes, calling it a mosque. This area, now known as the Gyanvapi Mosque, along with nearby land close to the new Vishwanath temple, has been a source of intense dispute since the 18th century, often leading to violent riots in Varanasi.

During the colonial era, disputes over this property were brought to British courts, which issued multiple judgments. Even after independence, the Hindu community continued to aspire for liberation of this sacred space.

In 2021, a new petition filed in the Varanasi Civil Court reopened this longstanding historical wound. Despite multiple appeals to the Supreme Court, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was directed to survey the site, which in January 2024 revealed findings that brought clarity to the truth.

Vikram Sampat’s latest work documents the dramatic twists and turns in the history of this disputed site and the ancient temple, bringing long-buried secrets of Gyanvapi to light. This book provides a comprehensive account of Kashi’s sacred heritage, resilience, and historical complexities.