Bhojshala tension returns as Basant Panchami falls on Friday:Hindu group seek full day puja while Muslims demand namaz hours amid legal ambiguity, govt on toes

The historic town of Dhar is once again facing a sensitive law-and-order challenge as Basant Panchami coincides with Friday on January 23. The overlap of two major religious observances has revived the long-running dispute over the Bhojshala–Kamal Maula complex, putting the district administration on high alert. The monument, protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has for decades been the subject of competing religious, historical, and legal claims. Hindus consider it an ancient centre of learning and a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi), while Muslims identify it as the Kamal Maula Mosque, a place where namaz has been offered for centuries. A fragile worship arrangement under strain For over two decades, worship at the complex has been governed by a time-sharing formula under which Hindus are permitted prayers on Tuesdays and on Basant Panchami, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz on Fridays. This arrangement becomes contentious whenever Basant Panchami falls on a Friday, as both communities seek access to the premises during overlapping hours. Similar situations in 2006 and 2013 led to heavy crowds and confrontations, with police intervention required to clear the premises ahead of Friday prayers. In 2016, the administration attempted to manage the conflict by dividing the day into fixed slots for Hindu rituals and Jumma namaz. The formula, however, failed to bring lasting resolution and has remained under legal challenge. The legal grey area behind the repeated standoff At the heart of the dispute is a legal gap in the April 7, 2003 order, which governs worship at the site but does not address scenarios where Basant Panchami coincides with a Friday. This omission becomes crucial when both religious observances fall on the same day, as they do in 2026. While the time-sharing formula works in most years, the lack of clarity in such situations repeatedly pushes the administration into crisis-management mode, forcing heightened security, ad hoc decisions, and judicial intervention. Hindu groups intensified mobilization This year, Hindu organisations have intensified mobilisation across the Malwa–Nimar region, demanding uninterrupted, full-day worship on Basant Panchami. At the same time, Muslim representatives have approached the administration to ensure that Friday namaz proceeds without disruption, citing precedent and official records.
Adding to the demands, saffronites called for the removal of all encroachments from the Bhojshala complex and the restoration of the temple. Competing Historical Narratives Hindu claims: Saraswati Kanthabharan and Raja Bhoj’s Legacy According to Hindu groups, the structure was built in 1034 CE by King Bhoj, the Parmar ruler of Malwa. They maintain that it was originally known as Saraswati Kanthabharan, also referred to as Sharada Sadan, and functioned as a Saraswati Gurukul, one of the earliest residential centres of Sanskrit learning in India. They argue that this gurukul tradition continued for nearly 250 years, even after Raja Bhoj’s reign ended in 1054 CE, and survived until the early 14th century. The decline of the centre, they claim, followed invasions around 1305 CE, during which Dhar was devastated and scholars were displaced. Hindu organisations further point to the ASI’s recent scientific survey On this basis, Hindu groups argue that Basant Panchami, celebrated as the birth anniversary of Maa Saraswati, warrants exclusive and uninterrupted worship. Muslim claims: Kamal Maula Mosque and continuity of Namaz The Muslim side disputes the temple-origin narrative and maintains that the structure is Kamal Maula Mosque, constructed in 1307 CE (Hijri year 705) by Hazrat Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti. They assert that namaz has been offered at the site continuously since its construction. A key plank of this position, according to mosque representatives, is a 1935 Gazette Notification, which records the structure as Kamal Maula Mosque and states that it was a mosque at the time and would remain so in the future. They consider this official document decisive in establishing the site’s identity. They also point to historical practice. Friday namaz was conducted at the site in 1998, 2006, 2013, and 2016, even in years when Basant Panchami coincided with Friday, said Zulfiqar Pathan, representative of Kamal Maula Mosque, Dhar. Emphasising restraint, Pathan added that the Muslim community remains committed to peace. ASI survey and court scrutiny The dispute gained fresh momentum after the ASI submitted its scientific survey report to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Petitioner Gopal Sharma, who was allowed to be present in the complex during the survey, claimed that the ASI report details the recovery of various coins dating from the Indo-Sassanian period to the British era, along with sculptures and fragments depicting deities, humans, and animals. While Hindu groups see the findings as strengthening their claim of temple origins, the Muslim side maintains that the reuse of architectural elements does not alter the site’s long-standing religious function as a mosque. Legal battle continues in the Supreme Court The immediate issue of worship rights on January 23, 2026, has now reached the Supreme Court of India. He added that the matter is currently pending before the apex court. The hearing will take place in due course. The main case continues separately and remains under judicial consideration. The ASI has already submitted its report, and further proceedings will take place in connection with the main matter, Jain said. Administration on high alert With both sides firmly holding their ground, the Dhar district administration has stepped up security and intelligence measures. Police have been deployed in large numbers, both in uniform and plain clothes, and surveillance has been intensified to track mobilisation efforts. Officials say dialogue with community representatives is ongoing, but stress that the administration’s role is limited to maintaining law and order and enforcing court and ASI directives. As January 23 approaches, Dhar remains tense, caught between competing histories, unresolved legal questions, and the urgent need to preserve communal peace.