Madhya Pradesh High Court Declares Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Complex a Saraswati Temple, Quashes 2003 ASI Prayer Order

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On Friday, May 15, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared that the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar, a city in Madhya Pradesh, is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The Court cancelled the 2003 order of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which had allowed Muslims to offer Friday prayers at the site, and said that the site is a temple.

The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi after hearing multiple petitions related to the religious character of the monument. The dispute has continued for years between Hindu and Muslim groups over the identity of the site and worship rights at the ASI-protected complex.

The Hindu side has long claimed that Bhojshala in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, is an ancient temple and also a centre of Sanskrit learning dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi Saraswati (Goddess of Speech), associated with Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty. The Muslim side, however, maintained that the site has functioned as the Kamal Maula Mosque for centuries and argued for the continuation of namaz rights.

In its judgment, the High Court observed that historical records, archaeological findings, and literature supported the Hindu claim regarding the site’s religious character.

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“We have noted continuity of Hindu worship at the site here has never been extinguished. We record findings that historical literature places establish the character of the dispute area was Bhojshala as centre of Sanskrit learning associated with Raja Bhoj of parmar dynasty,” the Court said.

The bench ruled that the disputed structure would continue to remain a protected monument under the supervision of the ASI. However, the religious rights at the complex were recognised in favour of the Hindu side.

“The disputed area of Bhojshala complex and Kamal Maula Mosque is held to be a protected monument. The religious character of the disputed area of the Bhojshala complex and Kamal Maula Mosque is held to be Bhojshala with a temple of Goddess Saraswati,” the Court stated.

The Court also quashed the ASI’s 2003 arrangement that had permitted Hindus to worship on Tuesdays and Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays.

“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 Court ruled.

At the same time, the bench suggested that the Muslim community can approach the state government of Madhya Pradesh and ask for separate land in Dhar district to construct a mosque or prayer site for themselves.

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The judgment came after the High Court had earlier ordered a scientific survey of the Bhojshala complex in March 2024. Following a 98-day survey, the ASI submitted a report of over 2,000 pages stating that a large structure dating back to the Parmar kings existed before the mosque.

The Hindu side argued that coins, sculptures, inscriptions, and archaeological findings supported their claim that the site was originally a temple. The Muslim side, however, challenged the ASI report in court and described it as “biased.”

During the proceedings, the Court also referred to the principles laid down by the Supreme Court of India in the Ayodhya verdict while examining archaeological and historical evidence.

“We have considered the archeological and historical facts, ASI notifications and survey report. On the anvil of the statutory provisions of the ASI act as well as on the basis of the precedent laid down in the Ayodhya case, and considering the nature of archeological evidence, the court can safely rely on the conclusions of such multi disciplinary studies by the ASI,” the bench observed.

[VP]

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