Urs at Bababudangiri begins tomorrow

The three-day annual urs at Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swami Dargah will begin on Friday. As in the previous years, the Shakhadri (hereditary administrator) of the shrine is upset with the district administration for not allowing him to ‘conduct’ the urs.

The differences between the Shakhadri persist as the Supreme Court is yet to give its final order the religious nature of the shrine. The case has been pending before the court since 2008. Syed Ghouse Mohiyuddin Shakhadri, the administrator, had appealed to the government to allow him enter the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine and place the green cloth on the tombs in the shrine. However, the district administration rejected his demand.

Speaking to

The Hindu over phone on Wednesday, Mr. Shakhadri said as per the interim orders of the Supreme Court and Endowment Commissioner’s orders issued in 1989, he should be allowed to perform the urs. Only Mujawar, appointed by the administrator, is allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum.

“However, my appeals are not heard. This time I met Home Minister, Chief Minister and Digvijay Singh, AICC general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka. However, nothing has come out of it,” he said.

The district administration has said that the administration would allow the procedures as per the court orders.

Mr. Shakhadri is hopeful that the Supreme Court’s final orders would resolve the differences. “The court heard the matter in February also. The matter has been posted for final orders. I am hopeful that the court will give the final verdict soon”, he said.