Some of the major temples of the Hindu religion were destroyed by the Mughals especially under particular rulers. The Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya was razed down by Emperor Babur. This was the place where Lord Rama was thought to have been born and later the Babri Masjid was built in its place.
Aurangzeb destroyed Kesava Deo Temple in Mathura, which was the acknowledged birthplace of Lord Krishna. It was demolished and Islamic buildings constructed on its ruins. This action eliminates an important Hindu pilgrimage center.
Aurangzeb destroyed the old Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Lord Shiva in Varanasi. Gyanvapi Mosque was built on the site using materials from the demolished temple. This was aimed at one of the major Hindu religious targets in the holy city.
Aurangzeb further struck the Somnath Temple in Gujarat which had been previously destroyed by other Muslim rulers. His troops tried vandalism at the Kailasa temple, Ellora. Many other important temples in North India were either desecrated or destroyed during the rule of the Mughals.
Aurangzeb made this destruction official by introducing policies and edicts. Demolition of temples in Ujjain, Prayagraj, and a myriad of villages was carried out deliberately during his rule. This was a methodical effort to attack main Hindu religious places.
Conclusion:
Mughals, especially Babur and Aurangzeb, fell intentionally upon the destructive exercises of significant Hindu temples such as Ram Janmabhoomi, Kesava Deo, Kashi Vishwanath, and Somnath. The policies of Aurangzeb resulted in a destructive North India. These demolitions form a critical loss of Hindu religious architecture to the Mughal period.
