"Scientific Survey Says Bhojshala Made From Parts Of Temple": Petitioner

Several idols of Hindu deities have been recovered from a 'bhojshala' - a medieval-era structure - in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district during the scientific survey of the complex, according to the petitioner in the case. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today submitted the survey report to the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which will hear the case on July 22.

The petitioner from the Hindu side has claimed 94 idols of Gods and Goddesses have been found in the survey.

Advocate Hari Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu side, has said that only "Hindu puja should take place there". "Today is a very happy occasion. It has been clear by the (ASI) report today that there used to be a Hindu temple. The ASI order of 2003 allowing namaz, is illegal. More than 94 broken idols have been recovered from there. Anybody who sees those things can easily say that there used to be a temple there," said Mr Jain.

Bhojshala-Kamal-Maula mosque complex is a disputed 11th-century monument which both Hindus and Muslims claim as their own.

The ASI - the country's premier agency for archaeological research and protection of cultural heritage - submitted the 2,000-page report after the survey spanning 98 days that began on March 22.

The petitioner said carvings featuring a wide range of images, including Hindu gods and goddesses and numerous human and animal figures were found.

He also claimed that the report noted the human and animal figures recovered during the survey were defaced or carved-out, pointing to the "conversion of the site into a mosque, where such images were not permitted".

He said "verses from the inscription of Khilji king Mahmud Shah, dated 1455 CE" were also recovered which "detail the transformation of the site from a temple to a mosque".

The ASI's findings suggest that the existing structure at Bhojshala was "built using parts of earlier temples", the petitioner claimed.

The High Court on March 11 ordered the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the complex on an application by the 'Hindu Front for Justice'. It then gave six weeks to the ASI to complete the survey. The ASI later sought more time for the report submission. The ASI began surveying the disputed complex on March 22 which ended recently.

On July 4, the High Court ordered the ASI to present by July 15 the complete report of the nearly three-month-long survey on the bhojshala premises.

The ASI had issued an order on April 7, 2003, concerning access to the monument after a controversy erupted. Under the arrangement - in place for the last 21 years - devised by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship in the bhojshala on Tuesdays, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the place on Fridays.

The Hindu Front for Justice has challenged this arrangement in its petition.

The Hindu community considers Bhojshala as a temple of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side calls it Kamal Maula mosque.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed today to consider listing a plea against the scientific survey of the bhojshala. The petition was filed by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenging the March 11 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.