Setting example of communal harmony, Muslims in Kolkata sets up special Durga Puja pandal for Hindu families

Kolkata: In a great example of communal harmony members of the Muslim community have set up a Durga Puja pandal in their locality for the Hindu families living there in the city of Kolkata. When asked about the reason behind this, two of the organisers Tausifur Rehman and Shafiq Ahmed said that for them their first identity is that of humanity above everything else.

Despite being Muslims, they have helped revive the festival of Durga Puja in their locality for the Hindus living on 13/A Shrif Lane, Alimuddin Street, which used to be celebrated with a lot of gaiety in the area for several years. But then had stopped for some reason. One was that a number of Hindu families living in the area gradually started moving out for various reasons, like jobs etc. But there is still a sizable number of Hindu families living in the area. But as the years went by there was a feeling among them of not having a Durga Puja pandal in their neighbourhood.

But since last year some of the Muslims in the area decided to set an example of communal harmony and humanity and revive the festivities during Durga Puja by helping set up a pandal for the Hindu families living here.

For this they got together with the Hindus living in the area and with their help set up the pandal.

Not only that, they also did the decor and brought the idol and set it up there. They also helped raise money for the entire thing and took care of all the logistics.

The only thing that they won't be doing is performing the puja in the pandals. But apart from that all the rituals will be followed here and all the facilitation of the rituals will take place by the Muslim organisers.

They said that by taking this step they are trying to give out a message of love and communal harmony. They also said that whatever they are doing they are doing from their heart without fear of any kind of repercussion and neither caring for anyone's bigotry. This they said was their duty to stand up for the people who might feel like a 'minority' amongst them.

One of them said that they got a bit late in organising this because they were in Saudi performing Haj. But once back he did not waste any time and took everyone into confidence and set up the Duga Puja pandal. One of them said that Durga Puja was celebrated by everyone and this time we are organising it on a small scale, adding that he was hopeful that the festivities would become grander and more beautiful in the coming years.