Hindu side submits proof in Bhojshala case:Cites ancient religious text ‘Samarangana Sutradhara’, argues on basis of art and architecture

During the fifth day of hearing in the much-discussed Bhojshala case on Friday at the Indore High Court, the Hindu side presented detailed arguments before the court based on historical, architectural, and ancient texts. The parties claimed that Bhojshala was not an ordinary structure, but a temple dedicated to Mother Saraswati and a Sanskrit learning center, whose mention is found in various ancient texts, British-era gazetteers, and texts composed by King Bhoj. During the hearing of the Hindu side’s second petition, Supreme Court advocate Manish Gupta, on behalf of petitioner Kuldeep Tiwari, a resident of Lucknow, informed the court that the famous treatise ‘Samarangana Sutradhara’ written by King Bhoj contains a detailed description of town planning and temple architecture. This text mentions the structure of temples, dimensions, pillar designs, idol styles, and principles of architecture. Bhojshala was the main center of the tradition of learning Advocate Gupta argued that the structure of the Bhojshala complex, its dimensions, the design of its pillars, and the style of its sculpture match the principles described in the Samarangana Sutradhara, which makes it clear that the said site was originally a temple. Citing Chintamani, written in 1304 AD, the 19th-century Dhar Gazetteer, and other historical documents, he stated that in ancient times, Dhar was a major center of knowledge and science, and Bhojshala was the main site of the tradition of learning. A Rare Idol of Brahma Described in Samarangana Sutradhara During the hearing, it was also stated that a rare idol of Brahma obtained during the excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) bears resemblance to the form of young Brahma described in the Samarangana Sutradhara. Additionally, the sculptural tradition of idols found from Hinglajgarh, Mandsaur, and Raisen was also said to be associated with the same period. The Hindu side also stated that similarities can also be seen in the construction style adopted by the Parmar dynasty and the architecture of the Mahakaleshwar Temple located in Ujjain. Next Hearing Scheduled for April 15 Based on the arguments presented in court, the Hindu side claimed that the Bhojshala site was an ancient Saraswati temple, where knowledge, art, and scriptures were studied. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for April 15. In this, the Hindu side will present in more detail before the court the similarities between the dimensions of Samarangana Sutradhara and the structure of Bhojshala.