Gyan Vapi, Battle of

Battle reportedly fought in Benares by
the Naga ascetic warriors of the
Mahanirvani Akhara. According to a
handwritten book in the akhara’s
archives, in 1664 the akhara’s soldiers
won a great victory near the Gyan Vapi
well. This document simply states that
the Sanyasis were victorious against the
forces of “the Sultan,” although historians have inferred that this figure was the
Moghul emperor Aurangzeb. If the story
is true, this battle may have been a contributing factor in Aurangzeb’s decision
to raze the Vishvanath temple in 1669.
In light of this claim, it is possible that
the temple’s destruction was motivated
not simply by intolerant iconoclasm,
but by the desire to inflict punishment
for resistance and rebellion.
268
Gyan Vapi, Battle of