A four-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently conducted an inspection of a newly uncovered temple, along with five 'teerth' and 19 wells, in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh. The inspection was confirmed by District Magistrate Dr. Rajender Pensiya.

“In Sambhal, 5 'teerth' and 19 wells were inspected by ASI. The new temple that was found was also inspected. The survey took place 8-10 hours. In total around 24 areas were surveyed,” DM Pensiya said.

Dr. Rajender Pensiya further mentioned that the ASI would be submitting a report based on their findings. The Sambhal district administration had previously requested the ASI to conduct carbon dating on the temple and the well, as reported by news agency PTI.

On December 13, the ancient Shri Kartik Mahadev Temple, also known as the Bhasma Shankar temple, was reopened for prayers. The temple was uncovered by officials during an anti-encroachment drive near the Shahi Jama Masjid. The temple had remained closed since 1978, following communal riots in the area that led to the displacement of Hindu families.

The discovery of the temple came shortly after clashes between the police and residents in the area, sparked by a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The violence, which erupted on November 24, resulted in the deaths of five people and left 20 police officers injured. Following the unrest, police forces have been stationed around the site for security.

In November, the Supreme Court instructed civil courts to refrain from accepting new suits challenging the ownership or title of any place of worship or ordering surveys of disputed religious sites, in accordance with the Places of Worship Act (1991).

In recent weeks, a series of significant discoveries of ancient temples have been made in Uttar Pradesh, shedding light on long-hidden religious sites. On December 16, 2024, a 250-year-old Shiva temple, the Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple, was uncovered in the Madanpura area of Varanasi during an anti-encroachment drive. Just days earlier, another ancient temple, the Shri Kartik Mahadev Temple (Bhasma Shankar Temple), dedicated to Lord Hanuman, was found in Sambhal. This temple, which had remained locked since 1978, was reopened on December 13, 2024.

Additionally, a 50-year-old Shiva temple was discovered on December 18, 2024, in the predominantly Muslim Sarai Rahman area of Aligarh, marking an important find for the local Hindu community. On December 14, 2024, another Shiva temple was uncovered in the Mahmood Khan Sarai area of Sambhal, which had been closed for 46 years since the 1976 riots. These discoveries reflect a broader trend of unearthing historical religious sites amidst ongoing efforts to reclaim and preserve cultural heritage.