Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Masjid Dispute
Context:
The Supreme Court recently intervened to ensure the peaceful simultaneous conduct of Basant Panchami puja and Friday Namaz at the disputed Bhojshala complex, as the festival coincided with the weekly Muslim prayers this year.
Key Details:
The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex is an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument located in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
Hindus consider 11th-century monument Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslims call it Kamal Maula mosque.
The Dispute:
On 7 April 2003, an order issued by the then director general of the ASI sought to regulate access to the protected monument.
The order allows Muslims to offer Friday namaz on the complex between 1 pm and 3 pm, while Hindus get exclusive access every Tuesday and can perform traditional rituals on Basant Panchami.
On May 2, 2022, a PIL was filed by the Hindu Front for Justice organisation, challenging the ASI order, which restricted daily worship for Hindus.
The plea cited that the former rulers of Dhar had installed the statue of Saraswati there in the year 1034, and it was taken to London in 1857 by the British.
In July 2024, the Archaeological Survey of India conducted a High Court ordered survey of the disputed complex and sub mitted its over 2,000-page report, which largely states that the existing structure, which Muslims believe to be the Kamal Maula mosque, was constructed using the remains of a temple that existed at the site.
Judicial Arrangement:
The Supreme Court recorded the State government's assurance to provide separate entry and exit points, allowing both communities to worship concurrently without conflict.
A specific window between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. was designated for Muslim worshippers to offer Namaz in a separate space, while Hindu devotees continued their rituals elsewhere in the complex.