Madhya Pradesh High Court Rules Bhojshala as Hindu Temple, Dismisses Jain and Muslim Claims
‘Jainism is a branch of Hinduism’: Muslim claim not the only one dismissed in MP HC's Bhojshala ‘Hindu temple’ verdict
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that Bhojshala in Dhar is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Vagdevi, dismissing claims from both Muslim and Jain petitioners. The court stated that Jainism is a branch of Hinduism and cited legal provisions to support its decision, which also included the rejection of historical claims made by the Jain community regarding the site.
- 01The court ruled that Bhojshala is a temple of goddess Vagdevi, rejecting both Muslim and Jain claims.
- 02The Jain petition was based on an inscription from 1091, which the court interpreted as supporting the Hindu claim.
- 03The court noted that Jainism and Hinduism have evolved together and are not distinct entities.
- 04The ruling dismissed the Jain petition due to lack of historical and archaeological evidence supporting their claim.
- 05The court quashed the 2003 ASI order that allowed Muslim prayers at the site.
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The Madhya Pradesh High Court's recent ruling on the Bhojshala site in Dhar declared it a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Vagdevi, dismissing competing claims from both Muslim and Jain petitioners. The court found that Jainism is a branch of Hinduism, referencing legal provisions from the Hindu Marriage Act and Hindu Succession Act to support this assertion. The Jain petition, led by Salek Chand Jain, argued that the site was originally a Jain temple and that the idol in question was of the Jain goddess Ambika, not the Hindu goddess Saraswati. However, the court concluded that there was insufficient historical and archaeological evidence to substantiate this claim. The ruling also quashed a 2003 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order that permitted Muslim prayers at the site, emphasizing that the Bhojshala complex is primarily a Hindu worship site. The court directed the ASI to maintain control over the monument and suggested that the state government consider providing land for a mosque if requested by the Muslim community.
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The ruling affects the religious landscape of Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, potentially limiting access for Jain devotees and altering the dynamics of worship at the Bhojshala site.
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