Archive · 25 Jul 2026
Adina Mosque: Hindu Groups Claim Temple Origins
There's a big argument about an old mosque in India.
Some Hindu groups say it was built on top of a Hindu temple.
They want to put a big stone (Shiva Lingam) outside the mosque to show it was a temple.
The government says the mosque is a protected historic site and no religious activities are allowed inside.
The groups say they will follow the law but want to prove their claims.
Some people think this is just a way to create trouble, like what happened with another famous temple-mosque dispute in India.
Hindu groups claim the Adina Mosque in Malda was built on the site of an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The ASI recognizes the mosque as a historic monument built in 1373 AD by Sultan Sikandar Shah.
A Hindu right-wing group plans to install a Shiva Lingam outside the mosque to support their claims.
The ASI and police have advised against any religious activities within the protected monument premises.
CPI(M) leader Md Salim alleges that the BJP is using this controversy to create division, similar to past disputes.
- Who
- Hindu right-wing group led by BJP leader Kajal Goswami, ASI, CPI(M) leader Md Salim
- What
- Controversy over the origins of the Adina Mosque, claimed to be built on a Hindu temple site
- When
- Ongoing, with recent activities planned for the coming Monday
- Where
- Adina Mosque in Pandua, Malda district, West Bengal, India
- Why
- Dispute over the historical and religious significance of the mosque, with claims of it being built on a Hindu temple site
Hindu Groups and BJP
ASI and CPI(M)
Origin of the Structure
Hindu Groups and BJP
Claim that the Adina Mosque was built on the site of an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, citing Hindu and Buddhist motifs and a Shiva Lingam within the mosque.
ASI and CPI(M)
The ASI recognizes the Adina Mosque as a historic monument built in 1373 AD by Sultan Sikandar Shah, with no official recognition of it being a temple.
Legal and Religious Activities
Hindu Groups and BJP
Plan to install a Shiva Lingam outside the mosque and seek an ASI report to support their claims, aiming to restore the temple.
ASI and CPI(M)
The ASI and police have advised against any religious activities within the protected monument premises, emphasizing legal action in case of violations.
- Location
- Pandua, Malda district, West Bengal, India
- Year Built
- 1373 AD
- Builder
- Sultan Sikandar Shah
- Current Status
- Protected monument under the ASI
- Controversy
- Claims of Hindu temple origins
- Key Figures
- Kajal Goswami, Samik Bhattacharya, Rahul Sinha, Md Salim
- Legal Framework
- Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act)
