Bhojshala
Topic: Early Medieval North India: Harsha to the Rajputs · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Bhojshala is a monument at Dhar in Madhya Pradesh. Dhar was once Dhara, the capital of the Paramara kings. Tradition links it to King Bhoja (11th century) as a centre of Sanskrit learning and a temple of Saraswati, the goddess of learning. The Kamal Maula mosque also stands on the site. Who may use the site, and for which worship, has been argued over in law for many years.
Example
Sanskrit texts carved on stone slabs have been found at the site. Supporters of the tradition say these show it was a place of learning under the Paramaras. Bhoja's Dhara was famous for its scholars, and Bhoja himself wrote the Samarangana Sutradhara, a book on architecture.
Don't confuse with
- Bhojeshwar temple: the unfinished Shiva temple at Bhojpur near Bhopal, not at Dhar.
Related concepts
- Agnikula legend
- Paramaras
- Raja Bhoja
- Bhojeshwar temple
- Samarangana Sutradhara
- Chandela dynasty
- Khajuraho group of monuments
- Kandariya Mahadeva temple
- Chaulukya dynasty
- Modhera Sun temple