Following a protracted struggle, extensive surveys conducted over a long period by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and lengthy legal arguments, the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh high court finally ruled that the Bhojshala in Dhar is a Sanskrit school (temple) built by the Parmar ruler King Bhoj, and that Hindus possess the right to worship there. However, Congress leaders and Leftist historians have raised questions regarding this verdict delivered by the honourable high court.

Taking a jibe at the verdict, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh stated that the Bhojshala is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India, and that worship is prohibited within protected monuments. It is pertinent to mention here that the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 contains no such provision as suggested by the aforementioned assertion. It does, however, explicitly stipulate that no activity should be undertaken that causes any damage to a protected monument. It is also worth noting that worship continues to be performed to this day at numerous protected monuments across India. The Brihadishvara Temple—which is included in the list of World Heritage Sites—stands as a living example of this, with daily rituals and worship being conducted within its premises. Furthermore, during a press conference, Digvijaya Singh also claimed that an ASI report had been submitted to the court sometime between 2004 and 2006; according to this report, there exists absolutely no evidence to suggest that Bhojshala was a temple.

It becomes essential here to discuss all the documents pertaining to the Bhojshala. On page 180 of the Bombay Gazetteer, published in 1896 during the British colonial era, it is explicitly stated that the mosque currently standing in the city of Dhar occupies the exact site where the Parmar ruler, King Bhoj, had once constructed a Sanskrit school. Furthermore, the same Gazetteer notes that an inscription belonging to Naravarman—a ruler from King Bhoj’s lineage—records that, following King Bhoj, his successors continued to maintain and look after this institution. According to this same Gazetteer, a well exists in the vicinity of this structure; it is known as the ‘Saraswati Well’ or the ‘Akla Well’ (Well of Wisdom). Local folklore suggests that drinking water from this well enhances one’s intellect. This account serves as clear evidence that, even though the school established by King Bhoj had been converted into a mosque, the site continued to be recognized in local tradition as a school as late as 1896.

Regarding the report published by the ASI concerning the Bhojshala, it is pertinent to point out that Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. 7 (Parmar Inscriptions)—a publication issued by the Department itself—explicitly states that the mosque is, in fact, the transformed version of the school originally built by King Bhoj. According to the aforementioned report, there remains absolutely no doubt that the present-day mosque stands on the very site where the school established by the Parmar ruler, King Bhoj, once stood.
The dispute surrounding the Bhojshala cannot be resolved without taking into account the views of the archaeologist KK Lele. Based on his survey conducted in 1903, Lele identified this site as either a school or a temple. Leftist historians now contend that, prior to Lele, all scholars had consistently referred to the Bhojshala as a mosque. Remarkably, the Bombay Gazetteer was published in 1896—that is, before Lele had propounded his views. The Gazetteer contains a clear account stating that the Sanskrit school established by Bhoja was demolished to construct a mosque. Consequently, the accusation levelled by Leftists—that Lele tampered with history—is in no way logical.

Some historians also harbour the belief that the ASI operates in accordance with the government’s agenda. Such scholars, however, should also take note of a report published by the ASI in 1984–85, which states that the Bhojshala was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. King Bhoja commissioned its construction in the 11th century. The foundations of the temple remain extant to this day, situated to the west and north of the current mosque. It is pertinent to mention here that at the time this report was published, the Congress party was in power at the Centre. Had the ASI indeed functioned under the directives of the government, it would not have identified the Bhojshala as a temple in 1984–85.

All available written records pertaining to the Bhojshala—whether dating back to the British colonial era or the post-independence period—consistently describe the aforementioned site as a centre of learning established by King Bhoja, where an idol of Goddess Saraswati was enshrined. Over the course of time, its structural form was altered, or it was demolished. The court’s verdict is based solely on archaeological evidence, rather than on any specific agenda or ideology.

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