Key Highlights
- Landmark Verdict: The court declared the 11th-century complex a Temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati).
- Worship Rights: The 2003 ASI order allowing both communities to offer prayers was quashed; the site is now designated for Hindu worship.
- Idol Repatriation: The Union Government has been directed to retrieve the original Vagdevi idol from the British Museum in London.
- Scientific Basis: The ruling relied on a 2024 ASI survey, which confirmed the structure was built using remains of pre-existing temples.
- Security Alert: Indore and Dhar administrations are on maximum alert today, May 15, 2026, to ensure peace during Friday afternoon prayers.
The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court delivered a historic verdict today, May 15, 2026, resolving the long-standing religious dispute over the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar. A division bench comprising Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi dismissed intervention pleas from Muslim and Jain communities, holding that historical and archaeological evidence conclusively establishes the site’s character as a “Sanskrit Kendra” and a temple of Goddess Vagdevi.
The court’s decision was heavily influenced by a comprehensive 2024 scientific survey conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). That survey, which utilised GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) and carbon dating, revealed that the current structure was significantly modified from an original Hindu temple. The bench noted that the continuity of Hindu worship at the site, though regulated over time, had never been extinguished.
Adoption of Ayodhya Principles and Mosque Relocation
In arriving at its conclusion, the High Court drew upon 10 legal principles established by the Supreme Court in the 2019 Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi verdict. These principles emphasise the “standard of probability” rather than mathematical certainty in cases involving ancient religious structures. By applying these standards, the bench ruled that the religious character of the protected monument, which has been under ASI control since 1904, is fundamentally that of a temple.
To ensure “complete justice,” the High Court included a provision for the Muslim community. It suggested that if the representatives of the Kamal Maula Mosque submit an application, the State Government should consider allotting an alternative plot of land within Dhar district for the construction of a new mosque.
Heightened Security and Repatriation Efforts
The timing of the verdict has put local law enforcement on high alert. Since today is Friday, the day historically reserved for Jum’ah prayers under the now-quashed 2003 ASI agreement, massive police deployments have been made across Dhar and Indore. Authorities have implemented Section 144 in sensitive areas to prevent unauthorized gatherings and have warned against the spread of misinformation on social media.
Furthermore, the High Court issued a specific directive to the Central Government to initiate diplomatic efforts to bring back the marble idol of Goddess Vagdevi. The statue, which was taken to the United Kingdom in the late 19th century and is currently housed in the British Museum, is intended to be re-consecrated within the Bhojshala complex. Advocates for the Hindu side, including Vishnu Shankar Jain, have hailed the decision as a “restoration of historical truth,” while representatives of the Muslim community have indicated they will review the 242-page judgment before potentially challenging it in the Supreme Court.
