NEW DELHI, Mar 11
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday ordered the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey of the Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, observing that its nature and character needs to be “demystified and freed from the shackles of confusion”.
The petitioners in this case, a group called the Hindu Front for Justice, have argued that Kamal Maula Mosque was constructed during the reign of Alauddin Khilji between the 13th and 14th centuries by “destroying and dismantling ancient structures of previously constructed Hindu temples”. Hindus consider Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while Muslims know it as the Kamal Maula Mosque. As per an arrangement in 2003, Hindus perform puja at the Bhojshala complex on Tuesdays while Muslims offer namaz there on Fridays.
Ordering a complete scientific investigation, survey, and excavation of the Bhojshala complex, a Bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Devnarayan Mishra said, “Every government has the constitutional obligation to ensure preservation and protection of not only the ancient monuments and structures including temples of archaeological and historical importance, but also of sanctum sanctorum as well as the deity of spiritual importance.”
The court held that the “nature and character of the whole monument admittedly maintained by the Central government needs to be demystified and freed from the shackles of confusion”. It said the because of the “mystery” surrounding the exact “nature, form and character” of the complex, “the ghost of controversies has assumed such mammoth proportions…”
The court ordered the ASI to constitute an expert committee that will “complete scientific investigation, survey and excavation, through adoption of latest methods and techniques” and submit the report within six weeks.
“A detailed scientific investigation be conducted by adopting carbon dating method for ascertaining the age, life of various structures both above and beneath the ground; permanent, movable and immovable structures both beneath as well as above the ground.
, constituting the walls, pillars, floors, surfaces, upper top, sanctum sanctorum of the entire complex,” the court said.
The ASI has been ordered to “unlock and open the locked/sealed rooms, halls of the whole complex and prepare a complete inventory of each and every artefact, idol, deity, or any structure, and subject them to scientific investigation”.
