ASI submitted the Bhojshala survey report
ASI report on Bhojshala survey, Today is an important day in the historic Dhar Bhojshala dispute case. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted its survey report in Indore High Court today. On March 11, the High Court had ordered a scientific survey within a radius of 500 meters in Bhojshala. What did ASI find in the survey from March 22 to March 27, i.e. in a total of 98 days? Its details are in this report. It is believed that the Archaeological Survey of India has submitted a report of about 600 pages.
As per the order of the High Court, ASI has also done photography and videography during the excavation. GPR and GPS technology have also been used in this. According to media reports, ASI has found 37 statues of Hindu deities in Bhojshala during the excavation. Apart from this, the Archaeological Department has received more than 1700 relics. After the report is presented, the next hearing in this case is to be held on July 22.
What is in the ASI survey report?
– A total of 31 coins of silver, copper, aluminium and steel, belonging to the periods of Indo-Sassanian (10th-11th century), Delhi Sultanate (13th-14th century), Malwa Sultans (15th-16th century), Mughal (16th-17th century).
– 18th century, Dhar State (19th century), British (19th–20th century) and Independent India, were found during investigations in and around the present structure.
– The earliest coins found at the site are Indo-Sasanian, which may date back to the 10th–11th century, when the Paramara kings were ruling in Malwa with their capital at Dhar.
– A total of 94 sculptures, sculptural fragments and architectural members with sculptural depictions were observed during the investigation. They are made of basalt, marble, schist, soft stone, sandstone and limestone.
– Sculptures of four armed gods were carved on the windows, pillars and beams used.
– The images carved on them include Ganesha, Brahma with his wives, Narasimha, Bhairava, gods and goddesses, human and animal figures.
– Animal images in various mediums include – lion, elephant, horse, dog, monkey, snake, tortoise, swan and birds.
– Mythological and composite figures include various types of Kirtimukha human face, lion face, composite face; Vyala of various shapes, etc.
– Since human and animal figures are not permitted in mosques in many places, such images have been carved away or defaced.
– Such attempts can be seen on the pillars and pilasters in the western and eastern colonnades; on the lintel in the western colonnade; the entrance to the south-east chamber, etc.
– The Kirtimukhas with human, animal and mixed faces carved on several pillars in the western frieze were not destroyed.
– The small figures of deities carved on the frames of the windows in the north and south walls of the western pillar are also in comparatively good condition.
– Several fragments found in and around the current structure contain the same text. And the verse numbers, which number in the hundreds, suggest that these works were long literary compositions.
– The two Nagakamika inscriptions engraved on two separate pillars in the western pillar are of grammatical and educational interest.
– These two inscriptions point to the tradition of the existence of an education centre, which is believed to have been founded by King Bhoja.
– The opening verses of an inscription mentions king Naravarman (ruled between 1094-1133 AD), son of Udayaditya of the Paramara dynasty.
– All Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions precede the Arabic and Persian inscriptions, indicating that the users or engravers of Sanskrit and Prakrit inscriptions occupied this position earlier.
– Verses 17-18 of the inscription of the Khilji king Mahmud Shah, dated AH 859 (1455 CE) and placed over the entrance of the tomb of Abdullah Shah Changal in Dhar (Epigraphia Indo-Moslemica 1909-10) mention “(17) This heroic person arrived with a crowd of people from the centre of religion to this old monastery and (18) violently destroyed the idols and converted this temple into a mosque”
temperament and age
– The architectural remains found, sculptural fragments, large slabs of inscriptions containing literary texts, Nagakarnika inscriptions on pillars etc. indicate that a large structure associated with literary and educational activities existed at the site. On the basis of scientific investigations and archaeological remains recovered during the investigations, this pre-existing structure can be dated to the Paramara period.
– From the study and analysis of the finds, architectural remains, sculptures and inscriptions, art and sculptures, it can be stated that the existing structure was built from parts of earlier temples.
What is the Bhojshala controversy?
It is believed that Raja Bhoj, the ruler of Dhar, established a college in 1034 AD. He installed the idol of Goddess Saraswati here. Later this place came to be known as Bhojshala and people of Hindu religion started believing in it. It is said that later Alauddin Khilji demolished this Bhojshala and after this in 1401 Dilawar Khan Gaur built a mosque in one part of it. In 1514 Mahmud Shah Khilji built a mosque in the other part as well and Muslims started offering Namaaz here. However, after the rule of the British, the idol of Goddess Saraswati was found in the excavation here, which the British took to London. Hindu organizations consider this place as the temple of Goddess Saraswati. On the other hand, Muslims call it Bhojshala-Kamal Maulana Masjid. Their argument is that they have been offering Namaaz here for years.