The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati [1, 2].
The decision settles a long-standing religious dispute over the site's identity and restricts access to the premises. By redefining the legal status of the complex, the court has effectively ended a decades-old arrangement of shared usage between Hindu and Muslim worshippers.
In its ruling, the court said, "The disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque Complex in Dhar is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati" [1]. The court further simplified the verdict by saying, "Bhojshala is a temple" [2].
As part of the judgment, the court cancelled a 2003 order issued by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) [1]. That previous order had permitted Muslims to offer Friday prayers on the premises [1].
The court based its decision on historical and archaeological evidence indicating the structure is a temple to Goddess Saraswati [1, 5]. The ruling follows arguments from the Hindu side, which maintained that the complex is historically a Saraswati temple built by King Bhoj [3].
The court found that the evidence supported the claim that the site cannot be a mosque [5]. This legal determination revokes the ASI's prior permission for Muslim prayers, shifting the site's administration and religious designation entirely to the Hindu tradition [1, 2].
“"Bhojshala is a temple."”
This ruling represents a significant legal shift in the management of contested religious sites in India. By overturning the 2003 ASI order, the court has moved away from a model of shared access toward a definitive singular religious identity for the site. This decision is likely to serve as a legal precedent for other archaeological disputes where historical claims are used to override administrative arrangements of shared worship.
