On May 11, the Madhya Pradesh High Court accepted a petition seeking a stay on Muslims performing Namaz in the compound of the Bhojshala monument in the state’s Dhar district. The Court also served the summons to the Madhya Pradesh government, the Union government, and the Archaeological Survey of India.
The case was made by the ‘Hindu Front For Justice,’ which was challenging an order issued by the ASI Director-General on April 7, 2003. The ASI decree had enabled Muslims to offer Namaz in the compound of the 11th-century structure known as the ‘Kamal Maulana Mosque.’ The Hindu organisation said that the monument is a religious heritage structure revered by Sanatan Dharma followers.
The Hindu organisation also requested the installation of a statue of Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi) in the Bhojshala complex, as well as the production of coloured pictures of the complex’s inscriptions. It also requested that the Union government undertake radiocarbon dating on the antiquities and sculptures housed within the monument.
What is Bhojshala?
The ‘Bhojshala’ is a unique and historic temple dedicated to Mata Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom. Raja Bhoj (1000–1055 AD), the greatest emperor of the Parmar dynasty and a devout promoter of education and literature, founded a college at Dhar that became known as Bhojshala and attracted students from far and wide.
This Mata Saraswati temple lies in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, which was then Raja Bhoj’s capital. Many students used to come here to learn music, Sanskrit, astronomy, yoga, Ayurveda and philosophy. Bhojshala was a massive educational establishment that accommodated thousands of students and intellectuals.
The current Kamal Maulana Mosque, which was erected by Muslim conquerors after the temple was razed, has remnants of the Bhojshala. The carved pillars used in the mosque are the same ones utilised in the Bhojshala. Engraved stone slabs affixed to the mosque’s walls still contain valuable works. These inscriptions go into great depth about Sanskrit grammar. Besides that, some inscriptions praise the emperors who came after Raja Bhoj. There are also inscriptions in classical Sanskrit with theatrical compositions. These inscriptions are notable for being written in characters from the 11th and 12th centuries A.D.
The temple was considered to be the centrepiece of Dharanagari’s 84 squares, the city of palaces, temples, universities, theatres, and gardens. The goddess Saraswati’s statue is presently housed at the London Museum. The royal poet Madan mentioned this Mata Saraswati shrine in his poems as well.
The Islamic invasion and destruction of the Bhojshala complex, Hindu students were massacred, temple destroyed
In 1305, 1401 and 1514 AD, Muslim monarchs repeatedly wrecked the majestic temple and centre of learning at Bhojshala. In 1305 AD, the ruthless and barbaric Muslim tyrant Alauddin Khilji destroyed Bhojshala for the first time. Nevertheless, the process of Islamic invasion began 36 years before, in 1269 AD, when a Muslim Fakir named Kamal Moulana reached Malwa.
Kamal Moulana utilised deceitful methods to convert many Hindus to Islam. He spent 36 years gathering extensive information on the Malwa area and turning it over to Alauddin Khilji. Khilji massacred 1200 Hindu students and teachers at Bhojshala for refusing to convert to Islam, and he demolished the temple complex. The current mosque has the name of the same Kamal Maulana.
Another Muslim conqueror, Dilawar Khan, demolished Vijay Mandir (Surya Martand temple) and attempted to turn a portion of Saraswati Temple Bhojshala into a dargah in 1401 AD. Muslims perform Namaz at the same Vijay Mandir today. Again in 1514 AD, one Mehmudshah besieged Bhojshala and attempted to transform it into a dargah. He encroached on the area outside Saraswati Temple and established ‘Kamal Moulana Makbara.’ It is on this basis that Bhojshala is being claimed to be a Dargah.
The entry of the British into the scene
Malwa was taken by Marathas in 1703 AD, thereby ending Muslim rule. The East India Company seized Malwa in 1826 AD. They, too, invaded Bhojshala, destroying several monuments and shrines. Lord Curzon removed the deity’s idol from Bhojshala and placed it in England in 1902. The statue is currently on display at a museum in London.
For the first time since Muslim rule, Muslims attempted to offer Namaz by entering Bhojshala during British authority in 1930. This attempt, however, was thwarted by Hindu activists from Arya Samaj and Hindu Mahasabha.
Post-independence
In 1952, the Central Government gave up Bhojshala to the Archaeological Survey of India. In the same year, campaigners from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha began to educate Hindus about Bhojshala. Around the same period, Hindus established Shri Maharaja Bhoj Smruti Vasantotsav Samiti.
Following that, in 1961, Padmashri Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar, a well-known archaeologist, artist, writer, and historian, visited London and established that the Vagdevi idol kept in London was the actual one installed by Raja Bhoj at Bhojshala.
Prior to March 12, 1997, Hindus were permitted to take darshan but unable to do puja. However, in 1997, CM Digvijaya Singh issued an order permitting Muslims to offer Namaz at Bhojshala every Friday but prohibiting Hindus from even entering Bhojshala. Hindus were only permitted to enter and offer puja at Bhojshala during Vasant Panchami.
Bhojshala was opened for Hindus in April 2003. Darshan was allowed to Hindu devotees every day, apart from Tuesday, when they may worship using flowers.
In order to regain complete access to the entire premises for worship, the current petition filed has stated that the destruction of a temple and its continuation in the same form is a continuing trauma for the worshippers, denying them spiritual power, and in such a situation, the worshippers’ lives remain in jeopardy, giving day to day tease and a feeling of humiliation done by the invader, and such continued wrong has to be rectified under the sweep of Article 13 (1) of the Constitution of India to protect the life and religious rights guaranteed under Article 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India.
