Around 1,800 police personnel were deployed in Dhar as devotees assembled for maha aarti at Bhojshala after the High Court ruling on the disputed site.
Police personnel conduct patrols near the Bhojshala complex in Dhar ahead of the scheduled maha aarti following the Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict. (Photo: IANS)
Heavy security arrangements were put in place across Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district on Friday as Hindu devotees gathered at the Bhojshala complex for a “maha aarti” days after the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared the disputed site a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.
Hindu organisations described today’s ceremony as a historic moment, claiming it would mark the first Friday “maha aarti” at Bhojshala in 721 years.
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The administration deployed around 1,800 police personnel along with central forces in and around the Bhojshala complex as authorities prepared for the first Friday gathering at the site following the court’s May 15 verdict. The event was scheduled between 1 pm and 3 pm amid heightened security and close monitoring across sensitive areas of the town.
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The Bhojshala complex has remained at the centre of a long-running dispute between Hindu and Muslim groups. The High Court recently held that the religious character of the disputed area was that of a Hindu temple and also set aside the earlier ASI arrangement that had allowed Friday namaz at the premises.
Speaking to ANI, Dhar Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma said the administration had held continuous meetings with all stakeholders and was ensuring strict compliance with the High Court’s directions.
“Following the High Court’s order in Dhar district, it is our duty to strictly enforce compliance with all rules. We have maintained contact with everyone, and continuous meetings have been held with all groups. Everyone has assured that all activities today will be carried out in compliance with the orders that have come,” Sharma said.
#WATCH | Dhar, MP | SP Sachin Sharma says, “Following the High Court’s order in Dhar district, it is our duty to strictly enforce compliance with all rules. We have maintained contact with everyone, and continuous meetings have been held with all groups. Everyone has assured that… https://t.co/xXWUssrWcR pic.twitter.com/q1RgfQNLji
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2026
He added that more than 1,800 police personnel had been deployed across the district to maintain peace and law and order.
Authorities also conducted flag marches in sensitive localities over the past two days, while surveillance around the Bhojshala complex and adjoining areas was intensified.
Officials also warned against spreading misleading information regarding the High Court order through social media or other platforms.
Dhar, Madhya Pradesh: Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma inspected the security arrangements at the Bhojshala complex by visiting the site on horseback with the mounted police force. He directed officers and personnel to remain alert. Police patrolling and surveillance have… pic.twitter.com/QLSNR42IDb
— IANS (@ians_india) May 22, 2026
Visuals from the complex showed devotees participating in morning aarti rituals at the site under tight police presence.
#WATCH | Morning aarti being performed at Bhojshala temple, dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, in Dhar, following the Madhya Pradesh High Court order.
After the court order, no Friday namaz is allowed at the Bhojshala complex. pic.twitter.com/2p8XEfOHaf
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2026
Officials said only activities permitted under the High Court’s order would be allowed at the complex. Organisers had earlier proposed a “Shobha Yatra” but later decided to cancel it to avoid tension in the town.
Meanwhile, the Muslim side has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling.
A Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed by Quazi Moinuddin, who described himself as caretaker of the Kamal Maula mosque.
The Muslim side has argued that namaz has historically been offered at the site and has sought legal intervention against the High Court order.
Speaking to ANI, Kamal Maulana Welfare Society president Abdul Samad said the community would continue to maintain peace and follow legal directions.
“We had requested permission from the administration for namaz, but they cancelled our permission, citing law and order,” he said.
He added that the Muslim side would continue its legal battle in the Supreme Court.
In its May 15 judgment, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court held that the disputed monument was religiously characterised as Bhojshala, a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati.
The court observed that the Hindu community’s right to worship at the site “was never extinguished” and relied on findings from a 2024 archaeological survey that recorded Sanskrit inscriptions, a havan kund and features associated with temple architecture.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) later issued fresh directions allowing unrestricted Hindu worship at the protected monument while continuing administrative control over the site.
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