Breaking of temples during Muslim Rule of India

A broken sculpture in Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Below are a list of instances of Hindu Temples broken during the Long and disastrous Muslim rule over India. Most of these are extracted from various books written by prominent british writers during the British rule of India before 1947. Each of these accounts are presented with the relevant extract from the book.

1. From Page 28 of “HISTORY OF INDIA” by JOHN CLARK MARSHMAN, 1873 — “He (Altumsh) captured Oojein (Ujjain), the venerable capital of Vikramadityu and destroyed his magnificent temple of Muhakal, and sent the images to Delhi to be mutilated and placed as steps of his great mosque”.

2. From Page 38 of “HISTORY OF INDIA” by JOHN CLARK MARSHMAN, 1873 — “Seunder Lodhi’s reign) was marked by the oppression of the Hindoos, whose pilgrimages he prohibited, and whose temples he demolished in every direction, erecting mosquos with the materials,”

3. From “HISTORY OF INDIA” book by JOHN CLARK MARSHMAN, 1873. Describing how Aurangzeb destroyed temples in Banaras and used the idols as stairs of the mosques.

4. An account of Bengal general ‘Kala Pahad’ demolishing hindu temples and idols in #Odisha in 1558. From Page 112 of ‘History of Orissa’ book by Andrew Sterling, 1846 

5. Atrocities on Hindus by Tipu Sultan from the book ‘Haidar Ali And Tipu Sultan’ by Lewin Bowring, 1893. Detailing how #tipusultan destroyed temples in Malabar and Travancore.

6. Tipu’s atrocities in shrirangpatnam. Page 62 From the book ‘Captives Of Tipu Survivors Narratives’ by Lawrance A W, 1929.

7. Account of mosque constructed on top of a temple from Jajpur in #Odisha. From  “Orissa: Its Geography, Statistics, History, Religion and Antiquities” by Andrew Sterling, 1846, Page 137

8. AN example from #Odisha, “He pulled down the shrine and ordered the image of god Krishna to be broken into fragments and cast into gutter.” From: ‘HISTORY OF THE JAGANNATH TEMPLE’, 1958, A.N. Dwivedi

9. Destruction of #NalandaUniversity from the book  ‘University of Nalanda’ by Hasmukh Sankalia, 1934, Page 124

10. account of destruction of #NalandaUniversity from the book  ‘University of Nalanda’ by Hasmukh Sankalia, 1934, Page 207

11. Terrorism in medieval era by Mahmud of Gazni on Somnath Temple. From ‘History Of India’ book By H. M, Elliot, 1869, Page 524. 

12. Another account of creation of mosque on top of destroyed temple by Jahangir. From ‘Memoirs Of The Emperor Jahangueir Vol Ii’ by Price Major David, Page 25 

13. Another evidence of Qutub Minar built on a Temple. From ‘Seven cities of Delhi’ book by Gordon Hearn, 1938, Page 25.

14. Another account of Aurangzeb converting a Temple in Ahmedabad to mosque. From ‘India In The Seventeenth Century’ book by J. Ovington, 1689, Page 17

15. Temple existence under Qutub Minar, Delhi. Details From ‘Guide to the Qutab Delhi’ book by J.A. Page, 1927, Plate I, Page 66.

From same book, Page 64

16. Evidence of Jama Masjid of Delhi built on a Temple. From ‘Archaeology and monumental remains of Delhi’ by Corr Stephen, 1876, Page 40 

17. Fragments from Somnath temple’s idol placed on Jama Masjid’s stairs by Khilji. From ‘Archaeology and monumental remains of Delhi’ by Corr Stephen, 1876, Page 68

1. In the northern side of the Banaras (varanasi) city there are several Muhammadan mosques which have been built out of the remains of temples. From ‘Benares, the sacred city’ book by E. B. Havell, 1905, Page 202

1. An account of Mahmood Gazni destroying Idol of Somnath Temple.

From ‘The History Of The Indian Empire – Volume I’ book by R. Montgomery Martin, 1860, Page 67

1. Akbar Plundering Temple of Chittor after his conquest. From ‘The History Of The Indian Empire – Volume I’ book by R. Montgomery Martin, 1860, Page 111

https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianEmpire-VolumeI/page/110/mode/2up

1. Shah Jahan Destroying Temples and Killing Brahmins. From ‘The History Of The Indian Empire – Volume I’ book by R. Montgomery Martin, 1860, Page 129

https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianEmpire-VolumeI/page/128/mode/2up

1. Murshed Kuli Khan of Murshidabad destroying temples. From ‘The History Of The Indian Empire – Volume I’ book by R. Montgomery Martin, 1860, Page 240

https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianEmpire-VolumeI/page/240/mode/2up

1. Alamgir Mosque, Varanasi (Aurangzeb Mosque in Banaras) built on a Vishnu temple. From ‘India Pictorial and Descriptive’ book by Davenport Adams, W H, 1888. Page 138, 141

Mosque created on Temple in Kendrapada, #Odisha by Sayyid Muhammad Ghaus under Aurangzeb’s rule. From ‘History of Orissa’ by Banerji, 1931, Page 56.