250-yr-old Shiva temple found in Varanasi's Muslim pocket

In a striking discovery reminiscent of the unearthing of a Shiva temple in Sambhal, a 250-year-old Shiva temple has been found in the Muslim-majority Madanpura area of Varanasi.

- Biswajeet Banerjee

Locked for the past decade and filled with soil, the temple came into the spotlight after a social media post drew attention to its existence. Members of the Hindu right-wing group Sanatan Rakshak Dal visited the site and demanded its reopening.

Ajay Sharma, state president of the Sanatan Rakshak Dal, learned about the temple from the social media post which read: "Attention: A Shiva temple lies closed in the lanes of Kashi. This temple is near house number D-31 in Madanpura." Upon visiting the spot, Sharma found the temple locked with soil accumulated inside. Local residents could not provide clear information about the temple's history or why it had been closed.