Indore, Mar 16 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday said it will inspect the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar before April 2 in light of the “numerous disputes” pertaining to the ASI-protected structure.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Muslim side claims the 11th-century monument is the Kamal Maula Mosque. As per an ASI order of April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship at the complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are permitted to offer namaz every Friday.
A bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi set April 2 for the regular hearing of the petitions related to the disputed complex.
The bench, in its oral remarks, said, “In view of the numerous disputes, we would like to visit the complex and inspect it. We will visit the complex before the next date (April 2).” It, however, clarified that no party involved in the case will be allowed to be present at the disputed site during this visit.
After hearing lengthy arguments, the division bench admitted separate interim applications filed in the case and said that parties could present documents and affidavits related to these applications in court.
“We will give all parties involved in the case a full opportunity to be heard,” the HC asserted.
The disputed complex in Dhar is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, which, following HC orders, conducted a scientific survey of it and submitted a detailed report.
The ASI report, spanning more than 2,000 pages, indicates that a large structure dating back to the reign of the Parmar kings of Dhar predated the mosque and that the current disputed structure was built by reusing parts of ancient temples.
Retrieved architectural remains, sculptural fragments, large slabs of inscriptions with literary texts, Nagakarnika inscriptions on pillars, etc., suggest that a large structure associated with literary and educational activities existed at the site, it said.
Based on scientific investigations and archaeological remains recovered during the investigations, this pre-existing structure can be dated to the Paramara period, the report emphasised.
“Based on scientific investigations, survey and archaeological excavations conducted, study and analysis of retrieved finds, study of architectural remains, sculptures, and inscriptions, art and sculptures, it can be said the existing structure was made from the parts of earlier temples,” the report stated.
From the art and architecture of the decorated pillars and pilasters, it can be said that they were part of earlier temples and were reused, while making colonnades of the mosque over a high platform of basalt, the ASI said in the report.
The Hindu community, which approached the court with the primary plea of determining the religious nature of the entire disputed complex, claims that coins, sculptures, and inscriptions found by the ASI during its scientific survey prove the structure was originally an ancient temple.
The Muslim side, however, has disputed the claim and questioned the survey, alleging the ASI ignored its earlier objections and included “objects placed in the disputed complex” in the survey.
Talking to PTI, Abdul Samad, leader of the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society, one of the petitioners on the Muslim side, said, “We have filed an application in the High Court requesting that the entire ASI survey be provided with videography and colour photographs so that we can prove how some of the items in the survey were included in a pre-planned manner.” Samad claimed that statues belonging to the Jain and Buddhist communities were also found during the survey of the disputed complex.
He said that the Waqf Board and a ‘mutawalli’ (a person entrusted with the management, maintenance, and administration of a Waqf, or charitable property) have also filed applications in the case pending in the court regarding the complex. PTI HWP MAS BNM ARU
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