Today, On 3rd June, The Bombay High Court has permitted animal slaughter during Bakrid and Urs celebrations at Vishalgad Dargah in Kolhapur. This decision respects religious practices while balancing legal and cultural sensitivities in the region.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court granted permission for the sacrifice of animals during Bakrid and the Urs (anniversary) celebrations at a Dargah situated within Vishalgad Fort in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra.
This authorization applies not only to the Dargah Trust but also to the devotees taking part in these religious observances.
A Division Bench consisting of Justices Neela Gokhale and Firdosh Pooniwalla issued the order while addressing a petition filed by the Hajrat Peer Malik Rehan Mira Saheb Dargah, a registered trust, which challenged a directive from the Deputy Director of Archaeology that barred animal slaughter within the fort’s premises.
The Court noted that a similar request was previously approved in June 2024. Consequently, it permitted the current application under the same conditions.
The order stated,
“Considering fact that coordinate bench of this court in order dated June 14, 2024 has already dealt with the issue and had permitted prayer a of present IA, the same shall continue for festival of bakr eid, which is on June 7 and the Urs for four days from June 8 to 12,”
It further specified that all conditions established in the June 2024 ruling would be applicable to both the petitioners and the devotees.
In the order issued last year, the High Court mandated that any sacrifices must take place exclusively in a closed and private area specifically at Gate No. 19, which is privately owned by Shri Mubarak Usman Mujawar and not in open or public spaces.
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The Dargah Trust had initially approached the Court in 2023 after receiving a notice from the Deputy Director of Archaeology and Museums addressed to the Kolhapur District Collector, prohibiting animal slaughter within the Vishalgad Fort area.
This ban was reportedly based on provisions of the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, as well as a 1998 Aurangabad Bench judgment that prohibits public animal sacrifices.
Advocate S B Talekar, representing the trust, stated that local police had set up checkpoints and restricted access to the Dargah from 5 PM to 10 AM, which disrupted evening rituals central to the Urs.
The Court clarified that the permissions granted would extend to all devotees visiting the Dargah during the festival, while emphasizing that the conditions from the June 2024 order must be strictly adhered to.
The order read,
“Needless to state, the same conditions, which have been imposed in June 14, 2024 order shall apply to the petitioners in the present IA. Also applies to devotees of Dargah who come to sacrifice during Bakri eid and Urs. We also make it clear that conditions imposed in June 14 order shall be strictly complied with,”
In its petition, the trust argued that animal sacrifice is a long-standing tradition conducted behind closed doors on private land, located 1.4 kilometers from the fort.
They asserted that these offerings are provided to pilgrims and local villagers, forming an integral part of the community’s religious and cultural heritage.
Case Title: Hajrat Peer Malik Rehan Mira Saheb Dargah v. State of Maharashtra & Ors