The Inam Dattatreya Baba Budan Swami Dargah, also referred to as Shri Guru Dattatreya Peetha, in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, is a contentious religious site revered by both Hindus and Muslims. Once a symbol of communal harmony, it has become a flashpoint for disputes over the past few decades due to competing claims over its religious identity.
Parallels with the Dharmasthala Case: The recent excavation controversy in Dharmasthala, sparked by allegations of buried bodies, has drawn parallels with the Baba Budan Giri dispute. Inspired by the Dharmasthala excavations, certain Hindu organizations have demanded similar investigations at the dargah to probe the authenticity of graves, with the intent to establish the site as exclusively a Hindu shrine.
Kumkum Controversy: In November 2024, ahead of Datta Jayanti, allegations emerged that priests applied kumkum (vermilion) to graves inside the dargah’s cave and conducted Hindu rituals. The Shakhadri family, representing the Muslim community, condemned this as an affront to their religious sentiments, filing a complaint at the Chikkamagaluru Rural Police Station. The incident triggered protests, prompting the district administration to convene meetings with leaders of Hindu organizations to defuse tensions.
Historical Context: For Hindus, the site is a Dattatreya Peetha, while for Muslims, it is the Baba Budan Swami Dargah. The controversy escalated in 1998 when the Sangh Parivar launched the Datta Mala campaign to assert Hindu control, drawing national attention. In response, communal harmony forums organized counter-events, intensifying the dispute. Past incidents, such as the vandalism of graves in 2017 during Datta Jayanti, have further fueled tensions.
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Demand for Grave Excavation:
Hindu Organizations’ Push: Inspired by the Dharmasthala excavations, where a human skeleton was found at one of 13 sites, Hindu groups are pressing for a similar probe at Baba Budan Giri using GPS-based technology. Leaders like Raghu Sakaleshpura have demanded an SIT investigation under a retired judge to declare the site a Hindu shrine, alleging the graves are inauthentic.
Political Involvement: Former MP Pratap Simha has accused the state government of bias in the Dharmasthala case, a sentiment echoed in the Baba Budan Giri dispute. The state government, led by Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, has initiated consultations with Chikkamagaluru’s elected representatives and religious leaders, aiming to submit its stance to the Supreme Court by March 24, 2025, following a court directive.
Conclusion: The Baba Budan Swami Dargah/Dattatreya Peetha remains a volatile site of religious and political contention. The demand for excavations, inspired by Dharmasthala, risks escalating communal tensions, while the kumkum controversy has deepened mistrust. The Karnataka government’s next steps, balancing legal directives and communal sensitivities, will shape the resolution of this long-standing dispute, which threatens the site’s historical legacy as a beacon of syncretism.Keywords: Baba Budan Dargah, Dattatreya Peetha, Chikkamagaluru, Hindu-Muslim dispute, Dharmasthala excavation, Kumkum controversy, Datta Jayanti, communal harmony, Sangh Parivar, Datta Mala campaign, grave excavation, religious conflict, Karnataka politics, Shakhadri family, Muzrai Department.