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Known to Hindus as Bhojshala—an ancient center of learning associated with the Saraswati temple and Raja Bhoj—and to Muslims as Kamal Maula Masjid, the place has seen repeated court battles.
Bhojshala is an ASI protected monument in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. (PTI)
centuries old Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Complex Dhar in Madhya Pradesh is once again in the news after the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday recognized the disputed structure as a temple and quashed a 2003 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order that had regulated worship at the site.
In a major victory for the Hindu side, a division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi ruled that religious character banquet hall It is a Hindu temple associated with the goddess Vagdevi Saraswati and is recognized as a historical center of Sanskrit learning associated with King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty.
The bench said the Muslim community can approach the state government for allotment of separate land in the district for the construction of the mosque.
Known to Hindus as Bhojshala – a Saraswati temple and ancient learning center associated with Raja Bhoj – and to Muslims as the Kamal Maula Mosque, associated with Sufi saint Kamaluddin Chishti, the site has seen repeated court battles, political mobilization, ASI surveys and communal tensions.
The dispute, which is centuries old and in its modern legal form, more than 100 years old, sits at the intersection of archaeology, religion, medieval history, and modern politics.
What exactly is Bhojshala?
Bhojshala is an ASI protected monument in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Hindus believe that it was originally a temple dedicated to the goddess Saraswati and a center of Sanskrit learning established by the Paramara king Raja Bhoja in the 11th century. Muslims recognize the same structure as the Kamal Maula Mosque associated with the Sufi saint Kamaluddin Chishti.
According to The Times of India, the structure itself reflects this layered history. It includes carved pillars with Hindu motifs, Sanskrit inscriptions, Persian inscriptions, mosque-style arches and arches and the adjacent Kamal Maula Dargah. It is this architectural overlap that has caused this dispute to remain unresolved for decades.
Why is the site so controversial?
The Bhojshala controversy revolves around three main questions:
1. Was it originally a temple or mosque?
Hindu organizations argued that the site was originally a Saraswati temple built during the reign of Raja Bhoj and was later converted into a mosque during medieval invasions. Muslim groups say the mosque and dargah have existed there for centuries and reject claims of exclusive Hindu ownership.
2. Who has the right to worship there?
Since 2003, puja at Bhojshala followed a controversial ASI formula – Hindus could offer puja every Tuesday, while Muslims could offer Friday ‘namaz’ between 1 and 3 pm.
This arrangement repeatedly created tension whenever Basant Panchami, considered especially important by Hindu devotees, coincided with Friday prayers.
The latest ASI survey sparked debate after it concluded that “the existing structure was built from parts of earlier temples”, TOI reported.
3. Can archeology determine religious ownership?
The controversy quickly became a debate of archeology versus faith. Hindu groups cite Sanskrit inscriptions, temple fragments, sculptural remains and ASI surveys as evidence of a pre-existing temple. Muslim organizations argue that reused temple materials alone do not legally prove that the mosque was built illegally.
Raja Bhoj Connection
The Hindu claim is deeply linked to the famous Paramara ruler Raja Bhoj, who ruled Malwa around 1000–1055 AD. He is remembered as a scholar-king, a patron of Sanskrit education, and a builder of temples and educational institutions.
According to Hindu groups, Bhojshala was a major center of learning where Goddess Saraswati, also known as Vagdevi, was worshipped.
A prominent symbol in this claim is the famous Vagdevi idol, which some believe once stood in Bhojshala. However, there is controversy over that too. Scholars later suggested that the sculpture may have actually originated from the palace ruins in Dhar and not Bhojshala, TOI reported.
How did the mosque’s claim come to light?
The Muslim side traces its claim to the arrival of Sufi saint Kamaluddin Chishti in Dhar during the 13th century. His dargah is located adjacent to the structure and Muslim families say that they have been associated with this temple for about 700 years.
Historical inscriptions also contain details of additions and repairs made during the Sultanate and Malwa Sultanate periods. These include the inscription of Dilawar Khan of 1392-93 and construction work under Mahmud Shah Khilji in the 15th century.
Over time, the structure evolved into what historians describe as a composite monument incorporating both Temple-era and Islamic architectural elements.
Why is Bhojshala different from Ayodhya or Gyanvapi?
Unlike Ayodhya or Gyanvapi, Bhojshala was declared a protected monument under ASI control in 1951. This creates a legal gray zone because the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which fixes the religious character of places as it existed in 1947, does not directly apply in the same way here.
This allowed the courts to order a detailed scientific ASI survey, something that has been contested far more legally in other disputes.
Long timeline of Bhojshala dispute
11th century: Raja Bhoj established a center of Sanskrit education in Dhar. Hindu groups associate it with Bhojshala.
13th century: Sufi saint Kamaluddin Chishti reached Dhar. Dargah tradition begins.
1305: Alauddin Khilji’s army attacked Malwa. Hindu narratives associate this period with the destruction or conversion of the Saraswati temple.
1902-03: According to TOI, archaeologist KK Lele discovered Sanskrit inscriptions in the structure while preparing for Lord Curzon’s visit. The term “Bhojshala” became popular around this time.
1909: The princely state of Dhar declared the complex a protected monument and began regulating worship.
1935: The Diwan of Dhar State formally declared the structure a mosque and resumed Friday prayers.
1951: ASI took over the site and declared it a monument of national importance.
1985: The site has been notified as waqf property – a key basis for subsequent Muslim legal claims.
1987: ASI’s restoration of the floor reportedly found around 32 Hindu idols, prompting demands for recognition of the site’s temple character.
Babri demolition after 1992: The matter becomes political. Hindu organizations launched a campaign demanding the “liberation” of Bhojshala.
February 2003: Large scale protests started during Basant Panchami. At least two people were killed and dozens were injured in police firing. More than 1,200 arrests were reported.
April 7, 2003: ASI creates a Tuesday-Friday puja formula that has been in place for more than two decades.
2006, 2013, 2016: Whenever Basant Panchami coincides with Friday prayers, fresh tension arises.
March 2024: The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a full scientific ASI survey, saying the “nature and character” of the monument needed to be “mystified”.
July 2024: After nearly 100 days of excavation and documentation, the ASI submitted a 2,189-page report.
What was found in the ASI survey?
The ASI report became the centerpiece of the ongoing legal battle.
According to findings cited in court, over 1,700 artefacts were recovered, sculpture fragments of Hindu deities were found, Sanskrit inscriptions including “Sri Sarasvatayai Namah” were documented, Persian and Arabic inscriptions were also found, and evidence of re-use of temple materials in the structure.
The ASI concluded that “the existing structure was built from parts of earlier temples”.
However, the Muslim side challenged the survey and alleged that some items were “put in through the back door” after 2003.
What did the Madhya Pradesh High Court say?
Giving its order on Friday, the court said: “We have observed that the continuity of Hindu worship at this site has never ended. We have recorded the findings that historical literature establishes the character of the site in dispute, that Bhojshala was a center of Sanskrit learning associated with King Bhoj.”
It said: “The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will have complete supervisory control over conservation and preservation. The relief claimed by the petitioners for bringing the idol of Goddess Saraswati from the London Museum and installing it in the Bhojshala premises has been further clarified by the petitioners who have made several representations to the Government, who may consider the representations for bringing back the idol.”
The court also said that the state government may examine several representations seeking the return of the idol of Goddess Saraswati, currently kept in a museum in London, and consider reinstalling it in Bhojshala.
Dhar, India, India
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