In a landmark and politically sensitive judgment that could reshape one of central India’s longest-running religious disputes, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday declared the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque Complex in Dhar as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, overturning a 2003 arrangement by the Archaeological Survey of India that had permitted Muslims to offer Friday prayers at the site.
The ruling marks a significant development in a dispute that has for decades stood at the intersection of faith, archaeology, history and politics. While the Hindu community has long maintained that Bhojshala is an ancient temple and centre of Sanskrit learning established by the Parmar ruler Raja Bhoj, the Muslim side has argued that the complex has functioned for centuries as the Kamal Maula Mosque and remains an active place of Islamic worship.
Delivering the verdict after hearing extensive arguments from all parties, a division bench comprising Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi observed that historical material, archaeological indications and literary references pointed toward the site’s original character as a temple and educational institution associated with Raja Bhoj’s reign during the 11th century.
In its detailed observations, the court said there was sufficient material indicating the existence of a Sanskrit teaching centre and a shrine dedicated to Goddess Saraswati at the site. The bench further noted that continuity of Hindu worship at Bhojshala “had never been extinguished,” reinforcing the Hindu claim over the disputed structure.
The judgment effectively cancels the 2003 ASI order that had created a time-sharing arrangement under which Hindus and Muslims were allowed access to the premises on different days and occasions. Under that arrangement, Muslims had been permitted to offer namaz on Fridays, while Hindus were allowed worship on other specified days, particularly during Vasant Panchami.
Although the court has recognised the religious rights of the Hindu side, it also clarified that the Archaeological Survey of India would continue to exercise full supervisory authority over the conservation, preservation and management of the protected monument. The ruling therefore separates administrative control from religious usage rights, leaving the ASI responsible for safeguarding the site’s historical and archaeological integrity.
In a notable part of the judgment, the bench urged the Muslim community to approach the Madhya Pradesh government for the allotment of alternative land in Dhar district for the construction of a mosque. The observation is likely to trigger political as well as legal debate in the coming days, especially among groups that have contested the Hindu claims over the structure.
The court also referred to the long-standing demand by Hindu organisations seeking the return of the idol of Goddess Saraswati, believed to have originally been installed at Bhojshala during Raja Bhoj’s reign between 1010 and 1055 AD. The idol, which was removed during the colonial period and is currently believed to be housed in a museum in London, has remained a major emotional and symbolic issue for Hindu groups campaigning around the Bhojshala movement.
While the court did not issue a direct order regarding the idol’s return, it acknowledged that several representations had already been made before the government on the matter. The bench stated that authorities may consider those requests for bringing the idol back to India and reinstalling it within the Bhojshala complex.
The case had involved years of legal arguments, competing historical narratives and thousands of pages of documentary evidence. Lawyers representing both sides relied on historical texts, ASI surveys, colonial records, inscriptions and religious traditions to establish their respective claims over the site.
The judgment comes after the High Court reserved its decision on May 12 following prolonged hearings that examined not only religious practices but also the legal status of protected monuments and constitutional questions surrounding access and worship rights.
The Bhojshala dispute has remained a sensitive issue in Madhya Pradesh politics for decades, often drawing sharp reactions from religious organisations and political parties. Located in Dhar, the structure has frequently witnessed heightened security during Friday prayers and Hindu festivals due to tensions between the two communities.
Friday’s verdict is expected to have implications extending beyond Dhar, as it enters the broader national conversation around contested religious sites in India. Legal experts believe the judgment could now face further scrutiny in higher courts, particularly given the constitutional and communal sensitivities involved.
For now, however, the High Court’s ruling has decisively shifted the legal recognition of Bhojshala toward its identity as a Saraswati temple — a decision likely to resonate far beyond the quiet stone corridors of the centuries-old monument in Dhar.
