Bhojshala Declared a Hindu Temple, MP High Court Ends Decades of Dispute in Dhar

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled the Bhojshala complex in Dhar is a Saraswati temple ending a century-old religious tug-of-war and scrapping Friday namaz at the site.

A Landmark Ruling That Changes Everything

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court dropped a bombshell on Friday, May 15 the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar district is officially a Hindu temple. The court declared the site a temple of Goddess Vagdevi, or Saraswati. A division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi delivered the historic ruling. The judgment ended a dispute that has gripped the nation for well over a century.

The court also scrapped the 2003 Archaeological Survey of India order. That order had allowed Muslims to offer Friday namaz at the site and restricted Hindu worship rights at the same time.

“2003 ASI order to the extent restricting the right of Hindus to worship within the Bhojshala complex and also the order permitting prayer by Muslim community are quashed,” the bench ruled.

What the Court Actually Said

The bench leaned heavily on archaeological findings, historical inscriptions, and a massive 2,000-plus page ASI survey report. The survey conducted over 98 days in 2024 found evidence of temple structures, Sanskrit inscriptions, mutilated deity images, and Hindu religious symbols inside the complex.

“We have considered the archaeological and historical facts, ASI notifications and survey report,” the court noted. It also drew on the precedent set by the Supreme Court in the Ayodhya case to justify relying on multi-disciplinary archaeological studies.

The court further observed that Hindu worship at the site had continued in some regulated form without ever being fully extinguished. The bench recorded findings that historical literature places Bhojshala as a Sanskrit learning centre connected to King Bhoj of the Paramara dynasty who is believed to have built it around 1034 AD.

The Long and Contested History of Bhojshala

Bhojshala sits in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh an 11th-century monument protected by the ASI. For Hindus, it is a sacred temple of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge and wisdom. For the Muslim community, it has long been known as the Kamal Maula Mosque.

A third claim also existed a Jain community petitioner argued that the disputed complex was originally a medieval Jain temple and gurukul.

The conflict flared repeatedly over the years, especially when Vasant Panchami a festival tied to Goddess Saraswati worship fell on a Friday. Both communities then wanted simultaneous access to the same space, triggering repeated and bitter standoffs.

The 2003 ASI arrangement tried to walk a tightrope. It allowed Hindus to perform puja every Tuesday from sunrise to sunset while permitting Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays between 1 pm and 3 pm. But that fragile truce never truly held, and legal battles continued to pile up.

The Legal Battle That Brought It Here

The current legal proceedings began in 2022, when Hindu Front for Justice filed a petition in the High Court. The petition demanded an unambiguous declaration of the site’s religious identity and sought exclusive Hindu worship rights.

The High Court then ordered a scientific survey, which the Supreme Court initially stayed in May 2024. The Supreme Court later allowed the survey to proceed on a time-bound basis but directed status quo at the site until the dispute was resolved.

From April 6, 2026, the bench heard the matter for 25 full hearing days nearly 60 hours of arguments involving petitioners, respondents, interveners, and the ASI. The court reserved judgment on May 12 before delivering the final verdict on May 15.

What Happens to the Muslim Side?

The court did not leave the Muslim community without a path forward. It suggested that if the Muslim side applies to the state government for alternative land in Dhar district, the government should consider that request for constructing a new mosque or prayer site.

“In order to secure the religious rights of the Muslim community and to ensure complete justice between the parties, in case the respondent applies for allotment of suitable land in Dhar district for building a mosque, the state government can consider it,” the bench held.

The Muslim side has already indicated it will challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.

The Idol Taken to London And What the Court Said

One petition before the court also sought the return of the idol of Goddess Saraswati reportedly installed by King Bhoj in 1034 AD which was taken to the British Museum in London after colonial-era desecration.

The court held that the Union Government may consider the representations already made to bring back the idol from London and re-establish it within the Bhojshala complex.

Heavy Security, Tense Streets

Nearly 1,200 police personnel were deployed in and around Bhojshala on the day of the verdict. Dhar Collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena appealed for calm and warned of strict action against anyone spreading objectionable content on social media. Barricades were erected around the site as Friday prayers coincided with verdict day, creating a particularly charged atmosphere.

Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla had also personally visited the Bhojshala complex on March 24 to inspect the structure and study its layout before pronouncing the final verdict.

What This Means Going Forward

Bhojshala remains a protected ASI monument. The ASI will continue to manage and maintain the site. The Union Government and the ASI have been directed to decide on the administration and management framework for the complex including provisions for Sanskrit learning within the premises.

The Muslim side’s Friday namaz arrangement is now formally over. Hindus retain full worship rights at the site.

The verdict draws immediate comparisons to the Ayodhya judgment both cases hinged on archaeological evidence, historical claims, and religious identity and is expected to reignite a wider national debate around disputed heritage sites in India.