Protest in Chikkamagaluru over denial of urs rituals at Bababudangiri shrine

Activists of Eddelu Karnataka (Wake Up Karnataka), a coalition of civil society groups in the State, staged a protest in Chikkamagaluru on March 5, opposing the district administration’s refusal to allow urs rituals at the Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy dargah, atop Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru taluk.

Members of the forum, led by K.L. Ashok and Gouse Mohiyuddin, gathered at the City Municipal Council premises and raised slogans against the district administration. They alleged that the Congress party ruling the State was not upholding the syncretic nature of the shrine.

As they moved towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office, police intervened and stopped them. The activists demanded that they be allowed to stage a protest, and convey their opposition to the stand taken by the administration. However, the police took them into preventive custody.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the protesters stated that the administration did not allow the rituals as per the tradition at the shrine. The progressive forums of Karnataka had fought to retain the shrine as a place of harmony. While the administration allowed all kinds of rituals during the Datta Jayanti at the shrine and converted the entire area into saffron, it imposed restrictions on the urs. The Shah Khadri was not allowed to place a green cloth on the tomb or apply sandalwood paste.

In the letter, the activists objected to the police action against protesters. They demanded that the government allow the rituals in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court.

The three-day urs, an annual ceremony to pay homage to Hazrat Dada Hayat Mir Khalandar, began on March 4. Syed Ghouse Mohiyuddin Shah Khadri, the sajjada nasheen or the hereditary administrator of the shrine, was not allowed to offer prayers or conduct rituals inside the shrine. He boycotted the event because he was not permitted to carry a green cloth inside.