Madhya Pradesh: ASI team reaches Bhojshala complex to continue survey

The ASI had to submit the report to the Madhya Pradesh High Court on April 29, but it had submitted an application seeking eight more weeks for the survey.

Dhar: A team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Sunday reached the Bhojshala complex located in Madhya Pradesh‘s Dhar district to continue the survey.

The ASI had to submit the report to the Madhya Pradesh High Court on April 29, but it had submitted an application seeking eight more weeks for the survey.

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The ASI began the archaeological survey at the Bhojshala Complex on March 22. For Hindus, the Bhojshala Complex is a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while for Muslims, it is the site of the Kamal Maula mosque.

On April 1, the Supreme Court refused to stay the March 11 Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct within six weeks a survey of the Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had also directed the ASI to constitute an expert committee that will “complete scientific investigation, survey and excavation, through the adoption of latest methods and techniques” and submit the report within six weeks.

The next hearing into the matter is scheduled on April 29. According to an arrangement in 2003, Hindus perform puja at the complex on Tuesdays from sunrise to sunset while Muslims offer namaz on Fridays from 1 pm to 3 pm following the direction of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.