MP High Court rules Bhojshala complex a temple; Muslim groups to appeal

In a landmark judgment with significant implications for disputed religious sites in India, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 15, 2026, declared the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district as a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati). [3, 4, 5, 7, 13] The ruling by a Division Bench of Justices Vinay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi in Indore has been hailed by Hindu organizations as a historic verdict. [3, 13] The court's detailed order, spanning 242 pages, dismissed the claims of the Muslim and Jain communities while affirming the religious character of the site as Bhojshala, a temple of Goddess Vagdevi. [3] The High Court quashed a 2003 order by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that had permitted both Hindu and Muslim communities to worship at the site, with Hindus allowed puja on Tuesdays and Muslims offering namaz on Fridays. [3, 4, 5, 7, 24] The court emphasized that historical literature and archaeological references established the site as an 11th-century center of Sanskrit learning associated with Raja Bhoj of the Paramar dynasty, indicating the existence of a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. [4, 5, 9, 14, 18, 20, 25] The verdict stated that the continuity of Hindu worship at the site had never been extinguished and that the religious character of the disputed area is that of Bhojshala with a temple of Goddess Vagdevi. [5, 7, 13] The court also directed the Union Government to explore possibilities of bringing back an idol of Goddess Saraswati from the London Museum, which was taken to the UK in the late 1800s. [3, 19] While the Hindu community has welcomed the decision, representatives of the Muslim community have indicated their intention to review the order and challenge it in the Supreme Court. [3, 4, 13, 19, 24] The court suggested that the Muslim community could approach the State government for an allotment of separate land in Dhar district for the construction of a mosque. [3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 19, 24] The Muslim side had argued that historical records did not provide direct evidence of a Saraswati temple being demolished to construct the Kamal Maula mosque and had raised doubts about the fairness and findings of the ASI survey. [3, 8] Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, representing the Muslim petitioners, had contested the ASI report, citing alleged irregularities and lack of definitive proof. [3, 8] The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex is an ASI-protected, 11th-century monument. [3, 5, 9, 14, 25] The dispute over the site has been a long-standing issue, with Hindus claiming it as an 11th-century Saraswati temple and Muslims considering it the Kamal Maula Mosque, built between the 13th and 14th centuries. [5, 8, 9, 14, 24] A Jain community representative had also filed a petition claiming the complex as a medieval Jain temple and gurukul. [3, 6] The court took inspiration from the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque verdict from the Ayodhya dispute, emphasizing the importance of archaeological and historical facts in its decision. [3, 4] The ASI survey report, submitted in July 2024, reportedly confirmed that the existing mosque was constructed using remains of a pre-existing temple structure. [14, 18, 20] The ruling is significant as it could have a bearing on other disputed religious sites in India. [4] The complex's historical background dates back to Raja Bhoj of the Paramara dynasty, who established it as a center of Sanskrit learning. [4, 9, 14, 18, 20, 25] Later, during the Malwa Sultanate period, it was converted into a mosque. [14, 18] Following the High Court's verdict, a Hindu litigant has approached the Supreme Court to ensure they are heard before any appeal is processed. [19, 21, 24] The credibility of The Hindu newspaper, the source of the original article, is generally rated as Mostly Factual with a Lean Left bias by Media Bias/Fact Check. [10, 12, 15] Scroll.in is also rated as Mostly Factual with a Lean Left bias. [11, 26, 27] The news is specific to India. [1, 2, 20, 25] It is important to note that the date of publication for the linked articles and the event itself appears to be May 15, 2026, which is in the future relative to the current date. This analysis is based on the provided content assuming the event has occurred on that date.

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