In a landmark development at the Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, a formal worship ceremony on Sunday witnessed the installation of the first-ever idol of Goddess Saraswati in the sanctum sanctorum.
This step follows a Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling affirming the site as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati (also known as Vagdevi). Shortly afterward, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) granted Hindus unrestricted access for worship and related activities.
Organisations conducting prayers at the site since 2003 — the Bhojshala Utsav Samiti and Bhojshala Mukti Yagna Samiti — installed posters outside the temple complex prohibiting entry to non-Hindus. Gopal Sharma, a member of the Bhojshala Utsav Samiti, explained that the restriction was implemented for security reasons. Entry would be permitted only to those wearing a tilak and a saffron scarf.
During the ceremony, an eternal flame was brought from a nearby temple and placed in the sanctum. At sunrise, members of the Bhoj Utsav Samiti and devotees offered prayers to Goddess Vagdevi, followed by a special aarti at 11:45 am. The premises were purified with Gangajal and cow urine before the rituals. A large number of devotees gathered for the occasion.
Union Minister Savitri Thakur led the hoisting of a saffron flag at the site, in line with fresh guidelines issued by the ASI following the high court’s verdict.
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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that the BJP-led state government is committed to restoring Bhojshala to its “former glory.” He added that the site would be developed to allow devotees from across the state and the country to seek blessings of Goddess Vagdevi.
Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh reacted to the court order, describing it as ambiguous. He noted that the monument is protected by the ASI and that there is no legal provision for conducting worship there.
The high court’s decision, based on an ASI survey report, recognised the religious character of the complex as a temple of Vaagdevi (Saraswati). In its order on Saturday, the ASI quashed previous restrictions that had limited Hindu worship rights while allowing Muslim prayers, thereby ensuring unrestricted access for the Hindu community to the Bhojshala Complex.