Hijab-wearing alleged ASI staff enters Karnataka’s Badami Cave Temple wearing a slipper, debate sparks online
In the footage shared online, a woman is seen arguing with another woman dressed in green attire and a hijab inside the Badami temple complex. The tourist appears upset over the use of footwear in the temple area.
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A video from the Badami Cave Temples in Karnataka's Badami has triggered an online debate after a tourist was seen confronting a woman over allegedly wearing footwear inside the heritage complex. In the footage shared online, a woman is seen arguing with another woman dressed in green attire and a hijab inside the temple complex. The tourist appears upset over the use of footwear in the temple area.
The Badami cave temples are located in the town of Badami in the north-central part of Karnataka, India. The temples are about 88 miles (142 km) east of Belgavi (IATA Code: IXT), and 87 miles (140 km) northwest of Hampi. The Malaprabha River is 3 miles (4.8 km) away. The cave temples are 14 miles (23 km) from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Pattadakal and 22 miles (35 km) from Aihole, another site with over a hundred ancient and early medieval era Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments.
It is important to understand that there are no specific rules laid out by the ASI regarding footwear in the ASI-marked sites, while regulations regarding the prohibition of acts that might cause harm or injury to the monument have clearly been laid out.
The video posted online also claimed that the woman wearing a hijab was allegedly a part of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and that she was working at a Hindu heritage site. Netizens, while commenting on the post, also questioned why a Muslim woman was working at a Hindu heritage site. However, the role of the management and the fact of the video are yet to be ascertained.
"A heated confrontation erupted at the Badami Cave Temples when a Hindu woman objected to a Muslim woman wearing footwear inside the sacred premises. The woman, an employee working in an office located within the heritage site, was seen disrespecting Hindu religious sentiments. Why is a Muslim woman employed at a Hindu heritage site? Would the same arrangement be accepted if roles were reversed, for instance, if a Hindu woman entered a mosque or dargah wearing footwear?" one of the users commented.
A heated confrontation erupted at the Badami Cave Temples when a Hindu woman objected to a Muslim woman wearing footwear inside the sacred premises.
— Saynotolibrandu (@saynotolibrandu) May 18, 2026
The woman, an employee working in an office located within the heritage site, was seen disrespecting Hindu religious sentiments.… pic.twitter.com/PIAiwU2zmW
"Why are only Hindu temples placed under direct government and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) control, when these authorities appear unable or unwilling to safeguard even the basic religious sentiments of the Hindu majority, who are often treated as second-class citizens in their own country?" the user added.
"A heated confrontation broke out at the Badami Cave Temples after a Hindu woman objected to a Muslim woman allegedly wearing footwear inside the sacred premises," another caption read.
A heated confrontation erupted at the Badami Cave Temples after a Hindu woman objected to a hijab-wearing ASI staff member allegedly entering the sacred temple premises wearing slippers; video goes viral pic.twitter.com/9mjAtCtIFp
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) May 19, 2026
Mixed reactions emerged on the internet after the said video. "The shouting woman was also wearing footwear. So is the security guard," one of the users noted.
The "shouting woman" was also wearing footwear. So is the security gaurd.https://t.co/rT6SD0bDrF
— Humility & Truth, z way of life (@MrRightCenter) May 19, 2026
"Everyone is wearing footwear there; are they just hypocrites singling out the vulnerable?" the other one said. Meanwhile, another user underlined the hypocrisy, saying that shoes were barred in the Taj Mahal but were allowed in Hindu heritage sites.
The Badami cave temples are located in the town of Badami in the north-central part of Karnataka, India. The temples are about 88 miles (142 km) east of Belgavi (IATA Code: IXT), and 87 miles (140 km) northwest of Hampi. The Malaprabha River is 3 miles (4.8 km) away. The cave temples are 14 miles (23 km) from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Pattadakal and 22 miles (35 km) from Aihole, another site with over a hundred ancient and early medieval era Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments.
It is important to understand that there are no specific rules laid out by the ASI regarding footwear in the ASI-marked sites, while regulations regarding the prohibition of acts that might cause harm or injury to the monument have clearly been laid out.