The Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the Bhojshala complex in Dhar district a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati on May 15, 2024 [1].
The ruling resolves a long-standing heritage dispute by formally identifying the site's religious character and altering the access rights for worshippers.
In its verdict, the court barred the performance of namaz, or Muslim Friday prayers, inside the complex [2]. This decision overturns a 2003 order from the Archaeological Survey of India that had previously permitted Muslim prayers at the site [4].
To address the needs of the Muslim community, the court suggested that separate land be allocated for the construction of a mosque [5]. The court also placed the Bhojshala complex under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India to ensure the site's preservation [2].
"The Madhya Pradesh High Court has declared the disputed Bhojshala complex as a Saraswati temple," the court said [1].
The dispute centered on whether the structure was originally a temple or a mosque. By designating the site as a temple, the court has shifted the legal status of the property in favor of the Hindu side [1].
“The Madhya Pradesh High Court has declared the disputed Bhojshala complex as a Saraswati temple.”
This verdict represents a significant legal shift in the ownership and usage of contested religious sites in India. By overturning a decades-old administrative order and prioritizing the site's identity as a temple, the ruling follows a broader judicial trend of revisiting historical land disputes to restore ancient religious structures.
