Madhya Pradesh High Court recognizes Bhojshala, seeks Saraswati idol repatriation
A recent Madhya Pradesh High Court decision has everyone talking about an 11th-century Saraswati idol now sitting in the British Museum.
The court officially recognized Bhojshala in Dhar as a temple dedicated to the goddess and suggested the government should look into bringing the statue back home.
For many, this idol, believed to have originally stood inside the shrine complex during the reign of King Bhoj, is more than just art; it's a piece of India's story.
Found 1875, now at British Museum
Back in 1875, this four-foot-tall, Sanskrit-inscribed statue was found during a dig at Bhojshala.
Just five years later, a British officer shipped it off to England, where it's been ever since, now one of millions of artifacts at the British Museum.
India has managed to bring cultural treasures home before (like six items from Glasgow Museum in 2022), so there's growing hope that this historic Saraswati could make her way back too.