Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 25 : A shutdown was observed in Dhar city on Tuesday following a district-wide bandh call given by Hindu organisations over the Bhojshala case.
Several shops and commercial establishments remained closed as the bandh was observed across the city. Security arrangements have been strengthened in the district to maintain law and order during the shutdown.
The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex has remained a sensitive issue in Dhar, with Hindu and Muslim groups staking different claims over the site.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the Madhya Pradesh government to allot a parcel of land adjacent to the disputed Dhar Bhojshala/Kamal Maula complex to enable members of the Muslim community to offer Friday Namaz.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the state government to make necessary arrangements after identifying Khasra No. 596, stated to be Dargah land adjoining the disputed site, as the place where prayers would be offered.
The matter has also been examined through a scientific survey conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the directions of the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The ASI had conducted a 98-day scientific survey of the disputed complex before submitting its report on July 15, 2024.
The detailed report stated that "based on scientific investigations, surveys and archaeological excavations conducted, study and analysis of retrieved finds, study of architectural remains, sculptures, and inscriptions, art and sculptures, it can be said that the existing structure was made from the parts of earlier temples."
Government records note that the remains of the original Saraswati temple can still be seen within the Kamal Maulana Mosque complex. The mosque's vast open courtyard, pillared corridors, and the prayer hall to the west incorporate ornately carved columns and ceilings that originally belonged to Bhojshala temple.
Prakrit hymns describing Kurmavatara, the crocodile incarnation of Vishnu, and serpent-bound pillar inscriptions containing the Sanskrit alphabet, grammatical rules, tenses, and moods have been recovered from the site.
The complex was originally a temple of goddess Sarasvati built by Parmar dynasty King Bhoja in 11th Century AD. For over 270 years, Bhojshala flourished as a centre of scholarship.
In 1305 AD, Alauddin Khilji defeated the Parmars, bringing their rule to an end. Bhojshala, along with many religious and historical sites, suffered destruction. Later in 1514 AD, Mahmud Shah Khilji II attempted to convert Bhojshala into a mosque. A tomb was built outside, associated with Kamal Maulana despite historical records showing that Maulana had died over two centuries earlier, in 1310 AD.