Karnataka High Court Permits Worship on Maha Shivratri, Limits Participation to 15 Devotees
New Delhi : The Karnataka High Court has granted permission for Hindu devotees to perform puja at the Raghav Chaitanya Shivalinga inside the Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland, Kalaburagi district, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. The court ruling restricted participation to 15 individuals.
Following the court order, puja rituals were conducted on Wednesday under the leadership of Veerabhadra Shivacharya Swami of Kadganji Math, with 10 devotees present. The dargah, located on the outskirts of Aland Taluka headquarters, has been a site of shared spiritual reverence for centuries.
The Karnataka High Court’s decision upheld a previous ruling by the Karnataka Waqf Tribunal, which permitted religious rituals at the site. As per the tribunal’s directives, Muslims were allowed to perform Urs-related rituals from 8 AM to 12 PM, while Hindu devotees were granted access to conduct puja from 2 PM to 6 PM.
To prevent any disturbances, tight security measures were implemented around the dargah. Devotees were required to undergo Aadhaar verification before participating in the puja. Speaking after the ritual, Veerabhadra Shivacharya Swami expressed satisfaction, stating that the puja had been conducted peacefully.
In a bid to maintain law and order, authorities deployed additional police personnel across Aland, imposing Section 144 of the CrPC to restrict public gatherings. Additionally, a temporary ban on alcohol sales in Kalaburagi was enforced by Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Tarannum from February 25 (Tuesday) 11 PM to February 27 (Thursday) 6 AM.
The Ladle Mashak Dargah is historically linked to the 14th-century Sufi saint Ladle Mashak and the 15th-century Hindu saint Raghav Chaitanya, believed to be the spiritual guide of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. For generations, both Hindu and Muslim communities have worshipped at the shrine peacefully. However, tensions flared in 2022 following reports of alleged desecration of the Shivalinga, leading to communal clashes and the arrest of 167 individuals, including 10 women.
The recent court ruling and security measures aim to ensure that religious practices continue in a peaceful and lawful manner.
