Madhya Pradesh HC Orders ASI Survey of Bhojshala Complex

• 12 Mar 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific survey of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex situated in the Dhar district.

Key Points

• The site is an ASI-protected, 11th Century CE monument. Under an agreement with the ASI, puja is performed in the temple by Hindus every Tuesday and Namaz offered every Friday.
• The court has ruled or decided that there is a necessity to clarify or reveal the true essence and identity of the entire monument under the maintenance of the Central government.
• The court concluded that it is the constitutional as well as statutory obligation of the ASI to hold the scientific survey of the site at the earliest under Section 16 the Monument Act, 1958.
  • The court asked the ASI to photograph and videograph the survey as well as unlock and open the locked/sealed rooms, halls of the whole complex and prepare a complete inventory of each and every artifact, idol, deity, or any structure found in the said locked, sealed halls, and rooms, and submit the same along with the respective photographs.
• This archaeological site at Dhar also bears ancient inscriptions that attracted the early attention of colonial Indologists, historians and administrators.
• John Malcolm mentioned Dhar in 1822, along with building projects such as the dams planned and completed by King Bhoja.
• Earlier in September 2023, the guards reportedly found an idol of Goddess Vagdevi. However, the administration had denied the claim of the idols ‘appearing’ and removed it.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

• ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation.
• It administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
• Its activities include carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance of protected monuments etc.
• It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham- the first Director-General of ASI. Alexander Cunningham is also known as the “Father of Indian Archaeology”.

Bhojshala Complex

• The Bhojshala literally translates from Sanskrit as the ‘Hall of King Bhoja’ is an historic temple located in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.
• King Bhoja hailed from the Paramara dynasty of central India, and was renowned as a patron of education and the arts, to whom major Sanskrit works on poetics, yoga and architecture are attributed.
• The 11th-century Bhojshala is an ASI-protected monument. Hindus believe it is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) but the Muslim side disputes it claiming that it is Kamal Maula Mosque.

Note

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958 provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.