Day after HC verdict, devotees throng Bhojshala in MP’s Dhar to offer prayers

Indore: Barely a day after the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court declared Bhojshala “a centre of learning and a temple of Goddess Saraswati”, devotees arrived in good numbers at the monument on Saturday to offer prayers and recite religious chants.

The stream of worshippers began early in the morning, with flowers placed at the spot within the Bhojshala complex where the idol of Vagdevi is believed to have once been installed.





Bhojshala Utsav Samiti convenor Ashok Kumar Jain described the atmosphere through the day as one of sustained devotion. “We offered prayers, recited Hanuman Chalisa and chants in praise of Goddess Saraswati in the morning Aarti. The devotees continued to throng the temple during the day,” he said, calling the high court verdict historic.

Jain noted that Bhojshala — referred to by devotees as “Saraswati Khanthabharna” — had previously been accessible to Hindus only on Tuesdays. The fresh court order, he said, now permits worship to be carried out every day.

Among those who made their way to the site were people who have spent decades advocating for this very moment. Bhojshala Mukti Yagna coordinator Gopal Sharma was among them. “This was not my fight, but the fight of the entire Hindu community. It was not for one place alone, but a victory of Hindu and Sanatana culture. Now, attempts will be made to bring back the Vagdevi idol,” he said.

Sharma added that the Hindu community of Dhar would continue its efforts until the full glory of Bhojshala is restored and the site returns to the form it held during the reign of Raja Bhoj.

On the ground, a heavy security presence blanketed the town of Dhar, with around 1,200 personnel deployed across the city. Police and Rapid Action Force units conducted flag marches through sensitive areas to ensure that the day passed without incident.

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Hindu Front for Justice files caveat in SC

Indore: The Hindu Front for Justice has filed a caveat before the Supreme Court after the Madhya Pradesh high court declared the disputed complex a temple, anticipating that parties from the Muslim side may challenge the verdict before the apex court.

HFJ district coordinator Ashok Goyal told TOI, “We have moved the caveat before the SC. We are ready to present all legal arguments before the apex court. Bhojshala was a temple and remains a temple,” he said.