16 Jul. 24: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) presented its comprehensive scientific survey report on the contentious Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque site to the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday. The report, exceeding 2,000 pages, was submitted to the court’s registry, and a hearing is set for July 22, as confirmed by ASI’s counsel, Himanshu Joshi.
This follows the July 4 directive by the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which had given the ASI a two-week extension to finalize its findings on the site in Dhar district. Initially, the ASI was to submit its report by July 2 but requested additional time for data compilation.
The survey, incorporating data from a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Geographic Information System (GIS) study conducted by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad, aimed to clarify the site’s historical and architectural significance. The ASI’s investigation uncovered over 1,700 artifacts, including statues, structures, pillars, walls, and murals. A carbon dating survey was also performed on the stones and pillars found during the excavation.
The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque site is a point of contention between the Hindu and Muslim communities. Hindus regard the 11th-century monument, protected by the ASI, as a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while Muslims identify it as Kamal Maula Mosque. An ASI-mediated arrangement since 2003 allows Hindus to perform puja on Tuesdays and Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays.
The ASI’s survey, initiated on March 11 and extended multiple times, was conducted to determine the “true character, nature, and form” of the site amidst competing claims from both communities.
