Indore: The Bhojshala Complex was declared a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday, ending years of dispute regarding its true character.
The 2003 order by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), allowing Muslims to offer prayers at the site, was set aside by the division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi.
“We have noted the continuity of Hindu worship at the site through regulated worship over time, which has never been extinguished,” the Court observed.
“We record a finding that historical literature and records establish that the character of the disputed area was Bhojshala as a centre of Sanskrit learning associated with Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty and the literary and architectural references, including those connected with the period of Raja Bhoj, indicate the existence of a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati at the site,” it added, as reported by The Times of India.
The Government of India may consider bringing back the idol of Goddess Vagdevi from the British Museum in London, the Court said.
The Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society or any other new Waqf body may request alternate land in Dhar for the establishment of a mosque, the bench further observed.
The overall administration of the property will remain with the ASI, which will also ensure its upkeep, the Court directed.
Police have tightened security in the Dhar district after the verdict. Dhar district collector Rajiv Ranjan Meena appealed to people to maintain peace and avoid spreading misleading information or rumours.
“We appeal to all citizens to maintain peace in the district and not to pay attention to misleading information or rumours. The district administration is monitoring such misinformation and rumours, and strict action will be taken against any untoward information received in this regard,” he said in a video released by the Public Relations Office.
Additional police forces have been deployed to maintain peace in the areas, he later told ANI.
“The executive magistrate and police force have been deployed, and we are keeping a watch on all the significant aspects,” he said.
Hindus have been arguing that the Bhojshala complex is a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while Muslims claimed it to be the site of the Kamal Maula mosque.
After final arguments on May 12, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court reserved its decision.
“Since April 6, 2026, regular hearings have been taking place in the matter and the case has been heard for nearly 25 days. During this period, the court heard all parties, which include petitioners, respondents, interveners and the ASI for around 60 hours. After hearing all sides, the proceedings in the matter concluded today,” Shreesh Dubey, lawyer for Bhoj Utsav Samiti said.
The ASI responded to all the deficiencies pointed out in the ASI survey and the questions raised over it, he said.
This was corroborated by ASI counsel Aviral Khare, said that during the final argument, they responded to all the objections that were raised regarding the ASI survey report.
“We informed the court that the survey conducted at Bhojshala complex was carried out strictly in accordance with the court’s directions and with complete impartiality and transparency. The ASI survey report runs into more than 2,000 pages and contains detailed descriptions of every aspect, including the methods used, the court’s directions, how and where the survey was conducted, what findings were made at various locations, and the conclusions drawn by the ASI after analytical study and investigation,” Khare said.
Since 2003, Hindus performed puja at the complex on Tuesdays from sunrise to sunset, while Muslims offer namaz on Fridays from 1 pm to 3 pm.
