Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered to conduct a survey of Bhojshala Complex at Dhar by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the lines of Gyanvapi in Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex. The Division bench of Justice Shushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice Devnarayan Mishra has asked ASI to form a team of 5 experts and conduct a scientific survey. This team will have to submit the report in 6 weeks.
Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain who is representing Hindu side in this case, broke the news on his X handle. Jain posted, “My request for ASI Survey of Bhojshala/Dhar in Madhya Pradesh is allowed by Indore High Court. Maa Vag Devi ki jai.”
As per the order copy shared by Advocate Jain on social media, court has said, “A detailed scientific investigation be conducted by adopting carbon dating method for ascertaining the age, life of various structures both above and beneath the ground; permanent movable and immovable structures both beneath as well as above the ground, constituting the walls, pillars, floors, surfaces, upper top, sanctum sanctorum of the entire complex.”
Earlier, on February 19, Advocate Jain approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court on behalf of Hindu organisations and sought a direction to the ASI to conduct a time-bound “scientific investigation” of the disputed monument of Bhojshala in the adjoining Dhar district which it claimed to be a temple of Goddess Vagdevi. The ASI told the court that it had no objection to the plea for a scientific investigation/survey of the premises, while the Muslim side opposed the petition by Hindu side. Bhojshala is an ASI-protected monument, which Hindus believe is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslim community treats it as Kamal Maula Mosque. According to an ASI order issued on April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the site every Friday.
Why Hindus seek ‘scientific survey' of Bhojshala?
The Hindu Front for Justice has filed a plea requesting the ASI director to conduct a time-bound scientific investigation of the Bhojshala complex, which is nearly 1,000 years old. The plea suggests methods such as excavation, survey, or ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey, with the aim of submitting a comprehensive report to the court. The Hindu side, supporting their claim that Bhojshala is a Saraswati temple, has presented a collection of colour photographs of the complex to the High Court. They contest the ASI's decision from nearly 21 years ago, which permitted Hindus and Muslims to visit the site on different days, arguing that it was made without proper scientific scrutiny of the premises. They further argue that according to regulations, ‘namaz' cannot be allowed inside a temple. During the proceedings in the High Court, the ASI informed that it had evaluated the Bhojshala complex in 1902 and 1903 and expressed no objection to the current plea for scientific investigation. Additionally, it was mentioned on behalf of the society that a writ appeal regarding the Bhojshala dispute is already pending before the principal bench of the High Court in Jabalpur and that the ASI's order dated April 7, 2003, remains legally valid.
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