Editor,
Barring stray untoward incidents, Kerala always exists as that shining light of communal harmony which gets represented by the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage circuit.
The circuit, featuring the Sabarimala temple, does not see complete fruition without setting foot on two other shrines as well – the Erumeli Nainar Juma Masjid in Kottayam district (commemorating Ayyappa’s friendship with a Muslim youth) and the Arthunkal St Andrew’s Church in Alappuzha district (in honour of the Ayyappa’s friendship with a Christian priest) to offer prayers.
While the Hindu devotees circumambulate the mosque, chanting mantras, they take bath in the church pond according to rituals before praying at the said mosque and church authorities liberally opening their doors for the Hindus during the pilgrimage season.
We have heard of incidents where the office-bearers of the Sree Mahavishnu temple in Kerala had organised an iftar gathering for Muslims on the temple premises. And the Cheruvally Muslim Jamaat Mosque, Kayamkulam, not only arranged the Hindu marriage between Anju and Sharath Sasi on the request of the poor mother of the bride, it organised a feast for 1,000 people and gifted 10 gold sovereigns and Rs 20 lakhs to the bride.
And how can we forget that specimen of ultimate humanity in Kerala where azan got sounded from the podium within a temple complex, followed by breaking of Ramadan fast (with the authorities arranging dates, dry foods and snacks) amidst ringing of temple bells for evening aradhana. And all spontaneously, without any planning.
It was a daylong religious function organised at the Santhagiri Ashram in Kozhikode with the imam of the Palayam mosque (Thiruvananthapuram) and a few other dignitaries following Islam in attendance. As the Kerala opposition leader VD Satheesan took the mike, he realised that for some of the guests, it was time for their evening prayers. Without any prodding from anybody, Satheesan vacated the podium after intimating that he would start his presidential address only after the imam and the others had broken their fast. This is called sensitivity and humanity at its divine best.
Soon after, a Muslim gentleman took the mike and sounded the azan, and the audience (irrespective of religious faith) stood up in respect with, coincidentally, the temple bells starting ringing for evening aradhana. The ashram hurriedly arranged food and water, enabling the imam and his co-religionists to break the fast with none other than Satheesan joining them.
In such an exceptional state, amid the communally-vitiated country, it is quite natural that the Nicholas Memorial CSI church, Malappuram, will open its gate for Eid prayers this year.
Let’s hope that the combined divine forces of the good human beings of ‘god’s own country’ will enjoy the last laugh and uproot the merchants of hatred from the soil of the country permanently. Let the religious syncretism of Kerala win the day for India.
Kajal Chatterjee,
D-2/403,
Peerless Nagar,
Kolkata
