New Delhi, February 11: The Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it will consider a petition seeking to halt Mahashivratri worship at the Raghav Chaitanya Shivling located within the Ladle Mashak Dargah complex in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district.
Senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, representing the dargah management, urged Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud to list the case before February 15, the day Mahashivratri is celebrated.
She stated, “There is the Aland Dargah in Kalaburagi. Now they wish to hold Mahashivratri celebrations there. Can this be heard before February 15?”
Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed concern about the trend of individuals filing petitions directly in the Supreme Court without first approaching the relevant High Court.
He remarked, “Why is every case coming under Article 32? This sends a message that the law is being used conveniently and that High Courts are inactive. We will consider this. Let’s see.”
The dargah is historically significant, associated with the 14th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Sheikh Alauddin Ansari, also known as Ladle Mashak, and the 15th-century Hindu saint Raghav Chaitanya.
Sources indicate that Chaitanya was a guru to Samarth Ramdas, who was honored by Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. The complex features the samadhi of Chaitanya, where the Raghav Chaitanya Shivling structure has been erected.
Historically, both Muslim and Hindu communities have worshipped at this site. However, tensions regarding worship rights and the nature of the site have escalated in recent years.
The new petition seeks to prevent Mahashivratri worship at the dargah and to halt any construction or changes that could alter the religious character of the site.
The petition asserts that interim orders permitting Hindu worship reflect an organized attempt to change the site’s religious character.
Petitioners have requested the court to intervene to maintain the status quo before this year’s Mahashivratri and to prevent any structural or religious changes.
This dispute resurfaced during last year’s Mahashivratri. In February 2025, the Karnataka High Court allowed a limited number of Hindu devotees to worship at the Raghav Chaitanya Shivling under controlled conditions. Under this order, 15 members of the Hindu community were permitted to worship at designated times with strict administrative and security measures in place.
Previously, similar limited permissions had been granted to both communities at different times to avoid clashes.
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My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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