MP: Basantpanchami Puja underway at Bhojshala amid high security

In Madhya Pradesh, the Basant Panchami puja began on the disputed site of the 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Dhar city amid tight security in the early hours of Friday. With Basant Panchami falling on a Friday this year, both Hindu and Muslim communities had staked claims for worshipping at the site. However, the Supreme Court on Thursday gave a specific time-sharing formula to avoid communal friction. The historic site was adorned with saffron flags and flowers, and devotees started arriving for darshan from sunrise. Devotees, along with members of the Basantotsav Samiti, installed the idol of Goddess Saraswati, also known as Maa Vagdevi, performed the aarti and offered oblations in the 'havan kund', marking the beginning of the puja.

#WATCH | Dhar | Basant Panchami prayers and celebrations being held at Bhojshala, following the Supreme Court order allowing Hindus and Muslims to offer prayers at the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh pic.twitter.com/lROdKZHxCN

— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2026

A heavy posse of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed in Dhar city and district. As many as 8,000 security personnel, including district police, Rapid Action Force, CRPF, MP Armed Force, SRPF and women police units, have been deployed around the site, and the administration is also relying on drones and CCTV cameras to ensure that no untoward incident occurs.

VIDEO | The Basant Panchami puja began on the disputed site of the 11th-century Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district amid tight security in the early hours of Friday.

Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra said, "Tight arrangements have been made. I along with… pic.twitter.com/dNOv1JVear

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 23, 2026

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant on Thursday ruled that religious activities will be split on Friday, and the Hindu community will be permitted to perform prayers from sunrise to sunset, while the Muslim community will be allowed to offer namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm. The Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque is a medieval-era monument that Hindus claim is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslims say it is a centuries-old mosque. As per an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order, Hindus have been given the right to worship at Bhojshala every Tuesday, while the Muslim community can offer prayers on Fridays.