The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has given the Hindu community the rights of unrestricted daily worship at the Bhojshala complex in Dhar, where the government has been fighting with the Muslim community over possession of the site.
The order dated May 16, signed by the director general, ASI director AMV Subramanyam, was dispatched to the top officials in the state, such as the chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh, district collector and the superintendent of police of Dhar district. The ASI, Bhopal circle, has been asked to ensure the maintenance and protection of the monument as per the directions of the court.
Worship rights are now granted to the Hindus in the Bhojshala complex, but it will still be a centrally protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. The ASI will finalise the timing and management of worship and provide this to the local administration, officials said.
The Bhojshala site has been in dispute for centuries. It is considered by Hindus as an old temple of Saraswati, built in the 11th century by Paramara king Bhoj, and a prominent place of learning Sanskrit. The Muslims, however, say that it is the Kamal Maula Mosque.
The decision by the High Court coupled with the ASI order will have significant social and political repercussions in the region.