The historic Bhojshala, located in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, once again took center stage in nationwide discussions this Friday. As the Hindu community was granted the right to offer prayers and worship from sunrise to sunset, a privilege denied for a long interval, devotees began flocking to the site in large numbers right from the early morning hours. Amidst chants of “Jai Maa Vagdevi,” the recitation of Vedic mantras and a grand “Maha-Aarti”, the Bhojshala complex remained a vibrant hub of religious faith and emotional fervor throughout the day.
With the very first rays of dawn, devotees began arriving at Bhojshala. Women, the elderly, the youth, and ‘sadhus’ gathered within the complex in massive numbers. While the eyes of many devotees welled up with emotion, others hailed the occasion as a moment of “historic justice.” Amidst a dispute and struggle that has persisted for years, this day was viewed as a monumental achievement for Hindu organizations.
721 साल बाद धार का पहला 'शुक्रवार'… भोजशाला में वाग्देवी के जयकारे, अखंड पूजा और महाआरती……
जय माँ वाग्यदेवी🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/PvTafOTeyc
— हितानंद Hitanand (@HitanandSharma) May 22, 2026
Complex Resounds with Maha-Aarti and Honor Ceremony
A magnificent ‘Maha-Aarti’ was organised within the Bhojshala complex at 9:00 AM. Following this, preparations commenced for special religious ceremonies, worship rituals, and ‘Havans’ scheduled for 12:00 PM. Families of the three martyrs (Hutatma) who sacrificed their lives during the Bhojshala movement were also honored during the proceedings. The atmosphere grew deeply emotional during this ceremony, as many recalled the years-long struggle and the sacrifices made during the movement. A devotee named Piyush Joshi remarked that he was visiting Bhojshala on a Friday for the very first time and expressed his joy that it would now be possible to worship Mother Saraswati here throughout the entire year. “After all,” he noted, “following years of prolonged struggle, the Hindu community has finally been blessed to witness this auspicious day.” “A Struggle Spanning 721 Years”: Committee Marks a Historic Day.
Ashok Jain, Patron of the Bhoj Utsav Samiti, described Friday as the “culmination of a struggle spanning 721 years.” He stated that this struggle had been ongoing continuously since the reign of Alauddin Khilji in the year 1305 and today, the Hindu community is offering prayers at the Bhojshala with full dignity. He added that the objective of the Hindu community is not merely to secure the right to worship, but to restore the original form and glory of the Bhojshala. However, the proposed procession was postponed due to administrative reasons.
मप्र की ऐतिहासिक भोजशाला में वर्षों बाद शुक्रवार को हुई महाआरती, वाग्देवी की प्रतिमा रखकर किया पूजन pic.twitter.com/iGQwOOBlBt
— Hindusthan Samachar News Agency (@HsnewsBharat) May 22, 2026
Committee member Gopal Sharma remarked, “The liberation remains incomplete.” They asserted that the agitation would continue until the Bhojshala regained the grandeur it possessed during the era of King Bhoj. Furthermore, Ashish Janak, convener of the Bhojshala Struggle Committee, stated that the Hindu community would no longer be satisfied with mere symbolic victories. He argued that the relics and idols of deities discovered within the Bhojshala complex serve as irrefutable proof of the ancient cultural heritage present at the site, a heritage that must be fully restored.
Three-Point Memorandum Submitted to the Central Government
Prior to this entire sequence of events, on May 19, the Hindu community observed a “Vijay Mahasatyagraha”. Held amidst recitations of the ‘Saraswati Stuti’, ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and a ‘Maha-Aarti’, the event featured tributes dedicated to those involved in the movement and to those who had faced imprisonment for their cause. During this occasion, a memorandum outlining three key demands was also dispatched to the Central Government. Advocate Manish Gupta explained that the primary demand is for the repatriation of the original idol of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) from London. The second demand calls for the removal of the Islamic verses inscribed within the ‘Garbhagriha’.
Meanwhile, Ashish Goyal, a petitioner representing the Hindu Front for Justice, demanded the immediate installation within the Bhojshala of the 94 idols of various deities, including Lord Brahma and Goddess Vagdevi, that were discovered within the complex during the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey.
और आज भोजशाला में बिना किसी बाधा के पूजा हो, कट्टरपंथी कोई व्यवधान पैदा करने की कोशिश न करें, इसके लिए प्रशासन ने पूरे बंदोबस्त किए और एस पी सचिन शर्मा ने "बड़े प्यार" से कट्टरपंथियों को समझा दिया। https://t.co/pKPjlqfqIW pic.twitter.com/UFFLwsIw8T
— Ashok Shrivastav (@AshokShrivasta6) May 22, 2026
Kuldeep Tiwari Arrives; Demands Removal of Arches and Verses
Kuldeep Tiwari, who had filed the petition regarding the Bhojshala dispute, also arrived at the Bhojshala premises on Friday. Devotees accorded him a warm welcome and many hailed him as a leading figure of the ongoing struggle. Speaking on the occasion, Kuldeep Tiwari asserted that Islamic symbols, such as the arches and the ‘Ayat al-Kursi’ inscriptions, must be removed from the Bhojshala complex to enable its restoration to its original, pristine form. He emphasized that this struggle is far from over and that the movement to fully restore the Bhojshala to its authentic “Bhoj-era form” will continue in the days to come.
Supreme Court Hearing Adjourned; Muslim Side Pins Hopes on the Judiciary
Meanwhile, the likelihood of a hearing taking place on Friday regarding the petition filed in the Supreme Court by the Muslim side effectively evaporated. Advocate Manish Gupta, representing the petitioner’s side, confirmed that the matter was not taken up for “mentioning” (an urgent listing request). City Qazi Waqar Sadiq stated that the Muslim community- respects the court and looks to the Supreme Court for justice. Notably, the Muslim side had initially announced plans to offer ‘Namaz’ at the Bhojshala; however, this was postponed late on Thursday evening.
पूरे 700 साल के बाद भोजशाला के बाहर यानी सरस्वती मां के मंदिर और विद्याशाला के बाहर फूल माला अगरबत्ती बेचने वाली पहली लारी (ठेली) लगी
गुरमीत सिंह जी ने फूल माला और अगरबत्ती की ठेली लगाई है pic.twitter.com/S1XJnNpCQc
— 🇮🇳Jitendra pratap singh🇮🇳 (@jpsin1) May 22, 2026
Dhar Transformed into a Cantonment; Security at Every Corner
Amidst the ongoing dispute regarding the right to worship at the Bhojshala, the administration placed the entire city of Dhar on high alert. Stringent security measures were implemented across the city, from the Bhojshala complex itself to sensitive and Muslim-majority areas. Approximately 2,000 police personnel and officers were deployed throughout the city. The administration mobilized eight specialized security companies, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), paramilitary forces, the STF, the SDF, and the mounted police.
#भोजशाला के कब्जा मुक्त फैसले के बाद
धार में हाई अलर्ट 🚨🚨🚨दूरबीन और मशीन गन के साथ
पुलिस का फ्लैग मार्च#धार_भोजशाला फैसले के बाद पहले
शुक्रवार को लेकर अलर्ट, बाइक-जीप और
घोड़े पर निकले पुलिसकर्मीजिससे कोई दंगाई गड़बड़ न कर सके pic.twitter.com/4RIuQqMrX6
— प्रमोद राजपूत (सनकी .7 ) 🇮🇳🚩 (@pramodsingh_07) May 22, 2026
Additional SP Vijay Dawar stated that social media platforms are also being kept under special surveillance to ensure immediate action can be taken against the spread of rumors and inflammatory messages. On Thursday, a flag march was conducted across the city under the leadership of Collector Rajiv Ranjan Meena and Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma. The administration made it clear that the High Court’s orders are being adhered to in letter and spirit, and that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt the peace.
