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Varanasi seer ends fast, announces campaign for Shiva temple at Gyanvapi
The seer said he called off the fast upon the directions of his guru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati
VARANASI: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the chief disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, on Wednesday ended his 108-hour-long fast, since Saturday, to demand permission for worship inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
The seer said he called off the fast upon the directions of his guru, and that he will now undertake a nationwide campaign for the construction of a Lord Shiva’s temple at the contentious place.
Avimukteshwaranand heads the Vidya Matt in Varanasi and has for long sought permission to worship the ‘Shivlinga’ which Hindu litigants claimed was found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex during a court-ordered survey on May 16.
“Gurudev has ordered me to launch a nationwide campaign for the construction of a temple at the place where Lord Adi Vishweshwar had appeared. It is important to ensure that the place becomes the centre of pride for Hindus,” he said.
The campaign for the construction of a temple will start soon, he said, adding that saints from across the country will participate in the nationwide campaign.
Vidya Matt spokesperson Sanjai Pandey said that the seer had in the last four days lost more than 5 kilogrammes in body weight.
