A survey of Sambhal’s ‘Kalki Vishnu’ temple premises was conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team on Saturday, just a day after the agency conducted a survey of a recently discovered temple in the district.

The priest of the Kalki Vishnu temple, Mahendra Prasad Sharma said it is good that the survey team came for a visit, PTI reported.

“There is a ‘krish koop’ (well) here. It is not closed but there is no water in it. This well is mentioned in the ‘Skanda Purana’ along with all pilgrimage sites of Sambhal. This well is on the temple premises, inside the old boundary,” the news agency quoted the priest as saying.

According to Vandana Mishra, Sambhal Sub-Divisional Magistrate, a team of ASI stayed at the site for about 15 minutes and also visited the temple to determine the age of the ancient well located inside its premises.

“There is a ‘krish koop’ here which is said to be an ancient well. Its age is yet to be determined. The team stayed for about 15 minutes and also visited the temple,” she told PTI.

ASI recently discovered 19 ancient wells in Sambhal

On Friday, a four-member team of the ASI surveyed the recently discovered Shri Kartik Mahadev temple, five pilgrimage sites and 19 ‘koops’ (wells).

The Kartik Mahadev temple (Bhasma Shankar temple) was reopened on December 13 after the authorities said they stumbled upon the covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive.

The temple housed an idol of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling. It had remained locked since 1978. The temple also has a well nearby which the authorities had planned to reopen.

Sambhal District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya had earlier told reporters that the ancient temple and the well were being excavated.

On December 12, the Supreme Court issued a significant directive, temporarily prohibiting courts across the nation from accepting new lawsuits and making any decisive interim or final rulings in ongoing cases related to the reclamation of religious sites, particularly mosques and dargahs.