ASI’s Scientific Survey of Bhojshala: Balancing Heritage Conservation and Legal Due Process

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently informed the Madhya Pradesh High Court that its scientific survey of the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex in Dhar followed strict statutory due process. This survey is pivotal in resolving long-standing disputes regarding the nature of the 11th-century monument, traditionally associated with King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty. The ASI employed advanced, non-invasive technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and carbon dating to analyze the site without causing physical damage. The survey report highlights the discovery of Sanskrit inscriptions and specific architectural fragments. These findings are currently being analyzed to ascertain the original nature of the structure. From a governance perspective, the use of scientific evidence in heritage disputes underscores the shift toward empirical adjudication. The ASI’s role as a statutory body under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, is crucial here. It demonstrates how state institutions can use technology to provide objective data to the judiciary, potentially reducing communal tensions by replacing anecdotal claims with scientific facts.