A day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared Bhojshala in Dhar as a temple of Goddess Saraswati, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Saturday allowed Hindus unrestricted access to the site for worship and related religious activities.

The ASI, in its latest order, said Bhojshala was historically not just a temple but also a major centre for Sanskrit learning, grammar and literature. It stated that Hindus would now be allowed access to the complex for the traditional practice of worshipping Goddess Saraswati and pursuing learning activities linked to the site’s history.

The move comes after the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday set aside the ASI’s 2003 arrangement, which had allowed Hindus to worship at the complex only on Tuesdays while Muslims were permitted to offer Friday prayers.

Ashish Goyal of the Hindu Front for Justice, one of the main petitioners in the matter, called the ASI’s decision a major development in the long-running Bhojshala dispute. He said the ASI, for the first time, referred to the site as “Bhojshala and Sanskrit School established by Raja Bhoj” and did not use the term “Kamal Maula Mosque” in its order.

According to Goyal, the High Court recognised the historical and religious importance of Bhojshala and acknowledged the continued tradition of Hindu worship at the site. With the new order in place, Hindus will now be able to offer prayers there throughout the year.

The dispute over the 11th-century monument has continued for decades. While the Muslim side claims the structure is the Kamal Maula Mosque, Hindu petitioners maintain that it was originally a Saraswati temple built during the reign of Raja Bhoj of the Parmar dynasty and later damaged during Alauddin Khilji’s invasion. The Muslim पक्ष has already said it will challenge the High Court’s verdict before the Supreme Court.

Following the court ruling and ASI order, large numbers of Hindu devotees visited Bhojshala on Saturday and offered Saraswati Vandana.

“We have waited years for this day,” said one devotee, Gokul Nagar, expressing happiness that worship would now be allowed daily instead of only on Tuesdays.

Another devotee, Sanjay, said he had brought a picture of Goddess Saraswati with the intention of installing it at the site, but officials stopped him, saying the ASI was yet to frame detailed guidelines on such matters.

Security was tightened in the area after the ruling. Indore Rural Range DIG Manoj Kumar Singh said the situation remained peaceful and around 1,200 police personnel had been deployed in Dhar to maintain law and order.