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Madhya Pradesh HC Declares Bhojshala Complex as Saraswati Temple, Directs ASI Management Under AMASR Act 1958

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
15 May 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:March 18, 1904242-page orderMay 15, 2026
Bodies:Madhya Pradesh High CourtArchaeological Survey of India (ASI)Union Government
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What This Article Covers

1.The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Division Bench declared the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar a Hindu temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) based on a 242-page order.

2.The court impugned a 2003 ASI order, granted the ASI management control, and suggested the state government consider allotting alternate land in Dhar district for a mosque.

3.The verdict draws inspiration from the Ayodhya dispute principles and relies on a court-ordered scientific survey by the ASI, using techniques like carbon dating and XRF analysis.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has adjudicated a long-standing religious dispute by declaring the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex a temple of Goddess Saraswati, overturning a 2003 ASI order. This ruling, based on a 242-page order following a scientific survey, transfers administrative control to the ASI under the AMASR Act, 1958, and suggests an alternate land allotment for a mosque, mirroring aspects of the Ayodhya verdict.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Court & BenchMadhya Pradesh HC, Division Bench of Justices Vinay Kumar Shukla & Alok Awasthi
Order Length242-page order
Date of VerdictMay 15, 2026
Governing ActAncient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958
Protected SinceMarch 18, 1904

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Court & Bench: Madhya Pradesh HC, Division Bench of Justices Vinay Kumar Shukla & Alok Awasthi
  • ›Order Length: 242-page order
  • ›Target this Data: The site has been a protected monument under the AMASR Act since March 18, 1904.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) is granted management control.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: The court impugned (set aside) the ASI's 2003 order permitting shared worship.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which organization, mentioned in the article, is the premier body for archaeological conservation in India and was granted management control of the Bhojshala complex?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict on the Bhojshala complex:

1. The court declared the site to be a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and dismissed the petitions of the Muslim and Jain communities.

2. The court upheld the validity of a 2003 order by the Archaeology Survey of India that permitted both Hindu and Muslim worship at the site.

3. The court suggested that the Muslim community could approach the State Government for alternate land in Dhar district for constructing a mosque.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

From which date, as per the Madhya Pradesh High Court order, has the Bhojshala complex been held as a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was a primary reason cited by the Madhya Pradesh High Court for dismissing the Muslim side's argument based on a 1935 proclamation (Ailan) by the princely State of Dhar?

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