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The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling on the Bhojshala Temple Complex has brought renewed focus on an ancient idol currently housed at the British Museum.
May 17, 2026: The recent verdict by the Madhya Pradesh High Court declaring the Bhojshala Temple Complex a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) has revived a long-standing debate surrounding an ancient idol currently preserved in the British Museum. Hindu petitioners argued before the court that the idol was discovered during an excavation in 1875 under British rule and later transported to England, where it remains today.
The controversy centres on the identity of the sculpture. While the British Museum officially classifies it as a Jain idol of Ambika, Hindu devotees and petitioners have consistently referred to it as Goddess Saraswati or Vagdevi. The court examined inscriptions at the base of the sculpture and concluded that “Amba”, “Ambika” and “Vagdevi” represented different forms of Saraswati. The judgment also referred to historical studies, archaeological findings and the ASI excavation report while arriving at its conclusion.
The court stopped short of ordering the idol’s return to India but observed that the Government of India may consider efforts to bring the sculpture back from London and reinstall it at Bhojshala. Petitioners have meanwhile announced plans to place a symbolic replica of the idol at the complex. The ruling has intensified demands from several BJP leaders and Hindu groups for the construction of a grand temple at the site, similar to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.