Hindu petitioners, who won a major legal victory in Bhojshala temple complex case, have now intensified their demand for the return of the original idol of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) from the British Museum in London.
This comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that the Government of India "may consider" representations seeking the return of the ancient idol from London.
On May 15, the high court ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. While the court quashed a decades-old Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order that had let Muslims offer Friday prayers at the site, the ASI has granted Hindus unrestricted access to the monument for worship.
Currently, the Hindu community has installed a replica of the Vagdevi idol at the complex to offer prayers.
The petitioners have submitted fresh representations to the Centre, the ASI and the Madhya Pradesh government, alleging the the British had taken away the idol during colonial period and hence the idol should be returned to the original site.
"Like the Kohinoor, the issue of return of the Vagdevi idol is now gaining momentum. But for us, this idol is more important than the Kohinoor because it is linked to our faith and cultural heritage,” PTI quoted Kuldeep Tiwari, one of the petitioners, as saying.
"Indian idols and historical artefacts have been brought back earlier from several countries," he pointed out.
Tiwari added that retrieving the idol from Britain would not be difficult if the Centre showed “political will” and pursued diplomatic efforts, especially after the high court recognised Bhojshala as a Vagdevi temple.
Meanwhile, 94 other idols were also discovered during the ASI survey of the Bhojshala complex in 2024. Petitioners said these idols along with those of Kubera and Ardhanarishwar housed in museums at Mandu and Dhar Fort be returned to Bhojshala.
Bhojshala is believed to be originally a Saraswati temple established in 1034 by Parmar king Bhoj. The temple was destroyed during Alauddin Khilji’s invasion of the Malwa region in 1305, following which parts of the temple were later used in the construction of a mosque at the same site.
