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Lucknow: The report of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team has given a new twist to the legal dispute surrounding the Babri Masjid site. The report of the 13-member expert team led by noted archaeologist Hari Manjhi stated that massive remains of an ancient Hindu temple dating between the 10th and 16th century were found underneath the site.

The report states, The presence of 50 pillar bases in association with the structure are indicators of remains which have distinctive features associated with temples of north India.

The sealed report was submitted to the High Court on August 22 and was made public yesterday by the three-judge special high court bench of Justice Khem Karan, Justice Rafat Alam and Justice Bhanwar Singh, which is hearing the Ayodhya title cases of 1950.

Zafaryab Jilani, counsel for the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, said the ASI report is biased and twisted the facts. The court has granted the contending parties six weeks to file objections.

Report at a glance:

The voluminous report is 574 pages long. While the main report runs into 271 pages, the remaining part includes annexures, enclosures, maps, photographs and diagrams of the excavated area. The ASI team detected the presence of:

* Mutilated sculptures of divine couples

* Carved architectural motifs including Hindu foliage patterns

* The presence of an Amlak (a symbol which often adorns the dome of a temple and is considered auspicious by Hindus).

* Doorknobs with semi-circular plaster

* A broken octagonal shaft of black schist pillars

* Lotus motifs often found in Hindu temples

* A circular structure of a shrine with a Parnala in the north for water discharge and

* 50 pillar bases

The Government should come forward with a legislation and hand over the acquired land to the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas at the earliest.
Ashok Singhal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader


We are confident leftist scholars will blow the report to shreds. The medieval structure on the western wall is in fact the foundation wall of the Babri Masjid.
Zafaryab Jilani, counsel for UP Sunni Central Waqf Board

The report claims there was a massive structure, which was built between the 10th and 16th C. But we have found items commonly found in north Indian temples.
Ravi R Mehrotra, counsel for Archaeological Survey of India