new delhi, May 22
A “maha aarti” was performed at the disputed Bhojshala Complex in Dhar on Friday as hundreds of Hindu devotees gathered at the site a week after the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the complex a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi, also revered as Saraswati. Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community offered namaz at their homes and private premises while wearing black bands as a mark of peaceful protest against the court’s decision.
The High Court, in its May 15 order, ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex was a Hindu temple and quashed an earlier order issued by the Archaeological Survey of India that had permitted Muslims to offer Friday prayers at the site. Prior to the verdict, Hindus were allowed to worship at the medieval monument only on Tuesdays, while Muslims had been offering namaz there every Friday for several years. Both communities had long claimed rights over the site, making the matter one of the most sensitive religious disputes in the region.
Friday marked the first Jumma following the High Court judgment, and Hindu organisations described the occasion as the first large-scale Friday worship at the site in more than two decades. Religious programmes, bhajan-kirtan and the “maha aarti” were organised by groups including the Bhoj Utsav Samiti and Bhojshala Mukti Yagya Samiti under heavy security arrangements deployed by the administration to maintain law and order.
According to Gopal Sharma, convenor of the Bhojshala Mukti Yagya Samiti, devotees from Dhar and nearby areas participated in rituals and prayers throughout the day. The sanctum area and parts of the complex were decorated with flowers and rangoli for the occasion as large numbers of worshippers arrived for darshan and religious ceremonies.
On the other hand, members of the Muslim community chose to offer Friday namaz in the courtyards of their homes and other private locations instead of visiting the complex. Community members also wore black bands during prayers to express their dissatisfaction with the court ruling while maintaining a peaceful approach.
Local Muslim leader Abdul Samad stated that the community respected the High Court verdict but was not satisfied with the decision. He said the protest was conducted peacefully through prayers at home and by wearing black bands. He further informed that a petition challenging the High Court order had already been filed before the Supreme Court of India.
Samad also expressed hope that the community would receive justice through the legal process and objected to the administration’s decision to cancel permission for offering Friday namaz at the Kamal Maula Mosque portion of the complex. Authorities maintained strict security arrangements in and around the Bhojshala complex throughout the day to ensure that the situation remained peaceful and orderly.
