The symbol of communal harmony in Maharashtra is embroiled in serious tensions, disputes over ownership, desecration, and attempts to alter its religious identity
Srushti Shinde
THE Hazrat Baba Ramzan Dargah, also known to many Hindus as Kanhoba Dev or Kanifnath, stands as a unique example of Maharashtra’s centuries-old syncretic traditions. Situated on 8 acres and 30 gunthas of land, this sacred site dates back to 1350 AD (752 Hijri) and holds religious significance for both Muslim and Hindu communities. However, recent years have seen this symbol of communal harmony embroiled in serious tensions, disputes over ownership, desecration, and attempts to alter its religious identity. This report explores the legal, social, historical, and political dimensions of the dispute.
Legal and Historical Background
The dargah is a registered Waqf property since 2015 under Section 36 of the Waqf Act, 1995, with reference number MSBW/ADR/2015 2/2015. Historical land records date back to the British era (1862), and its religious structures include a tomb and a dome. The site is believed to have been founded by Hazrat Nizamuddin Saadat Ali Dulha of Paithan and features architecture from the Maratha and Mughal periods, including rest houses and a Nagarkhana.
Despite its Muslim origins, the shrine is also revered by Hindus as a sacred space linked to Kanifnath Maharaj. Oral traditions tell of Kanifnath’s conversion to Islam after accepting Hazrat Sadath Dulha as his spiritual guide. This unique dual heritage has historically encouraged shared worship and spiritual harmony.
Emergence of Communal Tensions
Since 2022, communal tensions have intensified over the dargah. Reports have emerged of illegal idol installations, painting the dargah saffron, and performing aarti rituals that conflict with Muslim practices. A significant incident occurred on 19 January 2023, when Hindu symbols like Om, Swastik, and Trishul were drawn on Muslim graves within the dargah premises.
The situation escalated on 28 December 2023, when a statue, loudspeaker, and donation box were installed at the site, despite the presence of policemen. Disturbingly, the police refused to intervene, suggesting instead that the Muslim community seek legal remedies.
Community Response and Legal Measures
The Muslim community has responded by filing formal police complaints, submitting CCTV footage as evidence, and demanding the removal of offensive symbols and restoration of sanctity. A warning letter dated 15 November 2023 called for a ban on further Hindu rituals, a temporary restriction of access to the site, and placing the shrine under official protection.
Despite objections, a Gram Sabha resolution dated 26 April 2023 allegedly authorised the transformation of the site, leading to more conflict. Muslims have rejected the resolution and cited the Waqf Act, which explicitly prohibits such encroachments and provides for penalties under Sections 52(A) and 7(6).
A temporary injunction has since been filed by Waqf applicants to safeguard the site from further violations and protect the religious freedoms of the community.
Political and Social Undercurrents
The conflict has also acquired a political dimension. Infighting among members of the local temple trust, led by Nandkumar Saudagar, has surfaced, along with allegations of vote-bank politics and Muslim appeasement. Messages circulated on social media have called for Hindu unity, a boycott of Muslims, and the removal of Muslim workers from farms and social networks.
More dangerously, threats to cut water supply to Muslim households have been issued if restrictions on temple access persist. This rhetoric, rooted in polarisation and hate, poses a serious threat to regional peace.
Past Cases and Patterns of Encroachments
The dispute at Hazrat Baba Ramzan Dargah is not isolated. Two other dargahs in Guha village have reportedly been converted into temples using similar methods. The post-Babri Masjid era saw many such sites repurposed when Muslim visitors abandoned them, reinforcing fears that Hazrat Ramzan Dargah might face the same fate if not legally protected.
Religious Dispute and Court Proceedings
Currently, the dispute revolves around whether the site is a dargah or a Dhyan Mandir. The Waqf side claims legal registration, historical evidence, and spiritual lineage to Hazrat Ramzan Mahi Savar, while the Gram Panchayat cites past 7/12 records and a 2004 civil suit. The court has acknowledged conflicting documents and is in the process of examining the matter in depth.
Waqf Board’s Stand and Land Rights
Under a 2016 Government Resolution, land records must show Waqf authority in the ownership column, and no individual caretaker or trustee names are to be recorded. However, despite repeated appeals, the Revenue Department has failed to update the land records, leading to legal ambiguity and potential for misuse.
Waqf land is also inalienable — its sale, transfer, or gifting is illegal, and any violation carries a two-year imprisonment and fines. The board has also initiated the formation of a dargah committee, and the management application is under review.
Cultural and Architectural Significance
The shrine includes not only religious structures but also 7 bighas of farmland, a pond near Lampangaon, 20 tamarind trees, and well-preserved Mughal–Maratha architecture. Testimonies from 1854 confirm that both Hindu and Muslim rituals were historically conducted here, managed by a single family of caretakers.
This dual religious legacy, if preserved, can serve as a powerful model for communal co-existence.
Other Instances of Communal Tensions
This case highlights the broader danger posed by politicisation of religion, where syncretic traditions that have historically bound communities are viewed with suspicion or hostility. The discontinuation of the Muslim community’s participation in this ritual represents a loss for interfaith respect and signals how fragile shared cultural practices can become victims of divisive politics. The challenge remains to protect such traditions and build safeguards that prevent political agendas from undermining centuries-old communal coexistence.
The Trimbakeshwar incident is not isolated; similar communal flashpoints are emerging elsewhere in Maharashtra, such as the controversy surrounding the Haji Malang Dargah. In this case, certain Hindutva elements claimed the dargah to be a temple, prompting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to vow its “liberation.” However, the chairman of the Dargah Trust clarified that no temple exists within the premises and attributed the claims to political motivations. This episode, like Trimbakeshwar, illustrates how religiously shared spaces and narratives of syncretism are increasingly contested, manipulated, and transformed into battlegrounds for identity politics — posing a severe threat to the delicate fabric of communal harmony in the region.
Understanding Both Perspectives
To critically examine the Hazrat Baba Ramzan Dargah–Kanifnath site, it is vital to acknowledge the sentiments and historical claims of both Hindu and Muslim communities.
The Muslim Perspective
For the Muslim community, the site is a sanctified dargah of Hazrat Baba Ramzan Mahi Savar, recognised as a Waqf property and deeply rooted in Sufi spiritual heritage. The community perceives the recent acts of idol installation, Hindu rituals, and alterations to the dargah’s appearance as deliberate attempts at erasure and desecration. Their appeals are grounded in legal protections under the Waqf Act and historical evidence of the dargah’s continuous Islamic significance since the 14th century. For them, this is not merely a matter of land or legality but of cultural dignity, spiritual continuity, and religious autonomy.
The Hindu Perspective
For the Hindu devotees, especially those who revere Kanifnath or Kanhoba Dev, the site represents a sacred location linked to the Nath tradition. Oral traditions suggest that Kanifnath underwent spiritual transformation at the hands of Hazrat Sadath Dulha, creating a layered legacy. For many local Hindus, the performance of rituals like aarti and the installation of idols is seen as an act of reclaiming or honouring their own cultural memories and practices. Some also perceive resistance from the Muslim community as an encroachment on their devotional rights, especially in light of past fluidity and co-participation in worship.
This dual veneration, once celebrated as syncretism, has now become a point of contention in an increasingly polarized environment.
Syncretic Traditions in Contemporary Context
India’s pluralistic society has long thrived on syncretic traditions — shared spaces, stories, and rituals where the boundaries between religions blurred in favour of collective spirituality. Dargahs like Hazrat Baba Ramzan–Kanifnath, Haji Malang, and even temples like Trimbakeshwar historically stood as living examples of coexistence, where faith was inclusive, not exclusive.
In today’s context, such traditions are more important than ever, serving as a counter-narrative to the rising tide of religious exclusivism and polarisation. They embody India’s composite culture (Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb) and provide platforms for grassroots peace-building, especially in rural and semi-urban spaces where social interdependence runs deep.
Yet, these traditions are increasingly under threat from:
· Identity politics, which demand rigid religious boundaries and reject shared legacies.
· Legal ambiguities, which allow loopholes for encroachment, manipulation, and false claims.
· Communal misinformation, often spread via social media, framing syncretism as betrayal and
· Institutional apathy, especially from administrative and legal bodies reluctant to enforce protective laws like the Waqf Act or to preserve communal harmony.
The erosion of such sites not only means loss of physical heritage, but also the disintegration of centuries-old community bonds, oral histories, and shared rituals.
The Need for Protection
To allow syncretic sites to disintegrate under pressure is to deny the diverse reality of India’s religious and cultural evolution. Protecting these spaces is not about privileging one religion over another — it is about upholding mutual respect, legal rights, and historical integrity. Syncretic traditions act as cultural buffers against hatred and should be actively preserved, legally protected, and publicly celebrated.
Only by doing so can we ensure that pluralism remains a lived experience, not just a constitutional promise.
Conclusion
The Hazrat Baba Ramzan Dargah stands at the crossroads of heritage and hegemony. A sacred space that once united two communities through shared reverence is now fractured by politicisation, hate, and legal disputes. The failure of law enforcement and local administration to uphold the Waqf Act and prevent encroachment risks not just this dargah but the larger fabric of Maharashtra’s syncretic traditions.
There is an urgent need for:
· Immediate legal enforcement of Waqf protections
· Impartial administrative intervention
· Clear demarcation and recognition of religious boundaries, and
· Peace-building mechanisms at the grassroots.
Only then can justice be restored, and the true spirit of Hazrat Ramzan and Kanifnath’s unity be honoured.
It is crucial to preserve and promote syncretic traditions that have historically nurtured harmony between communities. These shared practices are living symbols of unity, and allowing them to fade under political or communal pressure is a loss to our collective heritage. We must consciously protect these traditions to ensure that respect, coexistence, and peace remain stronger than division.
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The writer is a postgraduate student of politics and is an intern at the Mumbai-based Centre for Study of Society and Secularism.
