The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.
At the high court's Indore bench, a division bench made up of Justices Alok Awasthi and Vijay Kumar Shukla delivered the decision. The site was determined by the court to be a temple constructed during the time of King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty and a centre of Sanskrit study in the 11th century based on historical literature, architectural records, and archaeological references.
The 2003 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) agreement that permitted Muslims to serve Friday namaz at the location was overturned by the High Court, giving Hindus the sole right to perform puja.
"We have seen that Hindu worship at this location has never ceased," the court stated. "We document findings that historical literature establishes the character of the dispute area was Bhojshala as a center of Sanskrit learning associated with Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty."
The court advised the Muslim community to request a separate piece of land in the district for the building of a mosque from the state government.
"The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will have complete oversight authority for conservation and preservation. The petitioners have put several arguments before the government, which may take them into consideration in order to bring the idol of the goddess Saraswati back from the London Museum and place it within the Bhojshala complex, according to the bench.
The bench had reserved its verdict on May 12 after hearing arguments from all sides in the context of conflicting religious views, historical assertions, intricate legal provisions, and thousands of documents about the contested monument.
Muslims and Hindus continue to pray on Fridays and Tuesdays, respectively, in accordance with the 2003 ASI arrangement. In the high court, the Hindu side contested the ruling, arguing that they should have the sole right to worship at the compound.
On March 11, 2024, the ASI was mandated by the high court to carry out a scientific survey of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex. Starting on March 22 of that year, the ASI conducted a thorough 98-day survey before presenting its findings to the court.
The current disputed construction was constructed using reused temple components, according to the ASI's almost 2,000-page assessment. The mosque was preceded by a large structure that dates back to the era of the Parmar kings of Dhar.
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