The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati [1].
The decision settles a long-standing dispute over a historic site in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. By legally redefining the complex, the court alters the religious and administrative control of a site that has seen years of tension between Hindu and Muslim claimants.
The court issued the ruling on May 15, 2024 [1]. Judges said that historical and archaeological evidence indicated the site had Hindu origins [2, 4]. This finding led the court to declare the complex a temple, which effectively nullifies a previous order from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that had permitted Muslim prayers at the site [4].
As part of the verdict, the court suggested that the government allocate alternate land for a mosque to accommodate the displaced worshippers [4]. The ruling marks a significant shift in the legal status of the medieval structure, a move that prioritizes archaeological evidence of origin over current usage patterns.
Following the announcement, devotees gathered at the site in Dhar to offer prayers before an image of Goddess Saraswati [3]. The court's decision focuses on the original identity of the structure, asserting that the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex is legally a temple [2].
Legal representatives for the parties involved said that the verdict provides a definitive legal classification for the property. The shift from a shared or mosque-designated space to a dedicated temple removes the legal basis for the ASI's previous prayer-sharing arrangements [4].
“The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the Bhojshala‑Kamal Maula Mosque complex is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.”
This ruling reflects a broader judicial trend in India where courts are increasingly using archaeological evidence to resolve centuries-old property disputes by reverting sites to their perceived original religious identity. By nullifying the ASI's shared-access order, the court has prioritized historical origin over the established practice of multi-faith usage, potentially setting a precedent for other contested medieval sites across the country.
