A temple believed to be built by a Muslim :RAVIPRASAD KAMILA :MANGALURU

[prasad1]

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On the last day of the 23-day annual festival at Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple at Mulki, a Muslim family is given ‘prasada’. This family is said to be related to Bappa Beary, who according to the legend, was instrumental in the construction of the temple.

The ‘prasada’ is given on the Maha Rathotsava (Chariot Festival) Day when the deity is taken on “pete savari” (tour of the town). A Muslim family receives the ‘prasada’ even today near the Noor complex, a senior staff member at this Muzrai temple said.

This temple has stood as a place of worship for people of all religions and faiths for long — a tradition unbroken by some recent incidents which have threatened the communal harmony in this coastal belt. A document of Mulki Town Panchayat on the temple available publicly enunciates the fact further: “…Eligibility of Muslims for accepting ‘prasadas’ (blessings) of the temple is one of the special features of the Kshetra. Muslims also participate in the temple festivals…’’ The senior staff member at the temple said that a Christian family which now lives abroad strongly believes in the temple. “We send prasada every year to the family,” he said.

Temple priest Sripati Bhat said that many local Christians sell jasmine grown by them to the temple particularly on Hagalu Rathotsava-cum-Shayanotsava Day during the annual festival. “Though they get demand from outside for jasmine many local Christians ensure that they sell it only to the temple on that day,” he said. The staff member said that Muslims do perform Parvathi Swayamvara (praying for marriage), Durga Namaskara, and Naga sevas at the temple. There is mass feeding at the temple on Friday. People of all religion take food, he said.

The Mulki Town Panchayat said although proper historical records could not be traced, the temple has features of 14th century architectural style. The public document of the panchayat said: “As believed by the local people Bappa, a Muslim merchant, has played an important role in the construction of the temple. But confirming the role of the Bappa Beary in construction of the temple is not available. Whether Bappa was a Muslim or he is a Bapa Pai (a Saraswath Brahmin) or he is a follower of Jainism is still a point to ponder. The name Bappa comes in one copperplate inscription (1607 AD) available in Kotageri Jain Basadi, which read: “Moose Kavi’s sons-in-law offered Varaha 113 on this Kunhappagu to Bappa”. “However, we can assume that Muslims have a major part in this temple activity as it is mentioned in one inscription of Hanjaman (Association of Muslim merchants) surfaced recently ...,” the document said.

An article on the history of Mulki by late Paduru Gururaja Bhat, a historian on Tulu Nadu, published in a souvenir in 1984 by the temple said: “Tradition has it that years ago this temple was caused to be constructed by a Muslim called Bappa who seemed to have discovered the linga submerged under water in the locality, when he was engaged in trade. But this legend seems to be baseless.”

Meanwhile, a Yakshagana prasanga “Bappanadu Kshetra Mahatme” staged by different touring troupes for the past four decades also features Bappa Beary. The acting by late Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat as Bappa and Goplakrishna Joshi Vitla as Usman, an accomplice of Bappa, was popular in Yakshagana for many years.
A temple believed to be built by a Muslim - The Hindu

 

[JR]

That is good, Prasad ji. So many Hindus participate at Nagur 'Santhanakkoodu' festival -- many Hindus attend Dargas too. Now that they are even constructing an Islamic University at Tirupathi, it is nice to hear about a temple having been constructed by Muslims.

 

[prasad1]

Hindu temple built with Muslim help in Bihar
In a shining example of communal harmony in India, Muslims have helped build a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Durga in Bihar's Gaya district, not just by making donations but also by supervising its construction.


"Muslims have not only donated money for temple construction, they have been involved in it like us," Suresh Prasad told FacenFacts about the shrine at Loco Colony near the railway station in Gaya town, about 100 km from here.


Said Ashok Kumar, another resident: "There was active help from Muslims, all of whom are railway employees. This temple is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity as both joined hands to construct it."


One of those involved was Tauhid Alam. "We have been living here for years and taking care of each other. It is a gesture for communal harmony," he said. He said the foundation of the temple was laid in 2010 and after that Muslims and Hindus of the locality worked together to construct it.


"We joined Hindus to collect donation for temple construction and also supervise construction work," said Mohammad Rafiq, another Muslim resident. Muslims personally donated and collected funds worth nearly Rs.5 lakh, locals said.Mohammad Sahab said dozens of Muslims donated money and others helped by doing other works for the construction. Muslims make up around 16 percent of the 105 million population of Bihar. In Gaya town, there are over a dozen Muslim localities.


Gaya is considered a communally-sensitive town and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been winning the assembly seat for over two decades -- thanks to communal polarisation of votes ahead of the polls.
But Lalji Prassad, a social activist in Gaya, said this move of the Muslims in the construction of the shrine would send a strong message of harmony and peace.
"It is a positive development. People active in public life should propagate how Muslims helped build a temple," he said.


Businessman Mahesh Agrawal said such cooperation should be encouraged. "If Muslims can help build a temple, Hindus should now come forward to help Muslims in their projects." Earlier, a Muslim had donated his land for constructing a temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva in Begusarai district. Mohammad Fakhrool Islam had given land for it in Muslim-dominated Bachwara village.
Over three decades ago, some Hindus had donated a piece of land for the construction of a mazar in the same village.

 

[prasad1]

Muslim family builds temple for Goddess
A devout Muslim couple have built a temple for Hindu Goddess Mariamman in the backyard of their house and conduct regular poojas.
KILLAI (TN): Showcasing secular values in this remote village of Tamil Nadu, a devout Muslim couple have built a temple for Hindu Goddess Mariamman in the backyard of their house and conduct regular poojas, arousing interest and curiosity in this region, which remains a citadel of communal harmony.

It all started with a dream that M Bashirbi (50) had in her sleep and her husband Mohammed Ali Jinnah (55) without any hesitation gave his full backing for building the small temple 10 years back in the backyard of their thatched house in this town, near Chidambaram, about 250 km south of Chennai.

"We built the temple 10 years back after the Amman appeared in my wife's dream. When she told me about this, I immediately accepted. I did not consult anyone... for me all religions are the same," Jinnah, who runs a tea shop, said.

Bashiribi raised money by selling her jewels and through other means to build the temple. "We went to Kumbakonam, known for idol making, to purchase the idols," she said.

Since then Bashiribi has been conducting poojas and even holding annual festivals when the utsav idol of the Goddess is taken around the town.

The family doesn't find any contradictions in being Muslims and at the same time tending to a Hindu Goddess. Though Jinnah has stopped offering namaz and visits to the mosque for Friday prayers, his sons still offer namaz and attend Friday prayers.

Such has been Bashiribi's reverence to the Goddess, she even has the picture of the Mariamman tattooed on one of her hands.

Just as any other village Mariamman temple, Bashiribi's temple has two three-feet high idols, including the utsav idol which she claimed was made of 'panchaloha' (five metals) and the Trident outside.

"The name of the Goddess is Maha Mariamman. She is from Malaysia. She appeared in my dream and said she had come to my house and wanted me to build a temple for her near the neem tree," Bashiribi said.

Initially she appointed a 'purohit' to conduct the pujas and later learnt the rituals from him.

Bashiribi's desire now is to perform kumbabishekam (consecration) of the temple. However, money has been a problem for the 10-member family.

"The Goddes is very powerful. I want to perform Kumbabishekam (consecration) but don't have the resources. So far I have not sought donations from anyone," Bashiribi, a mother of eight children, said, expressing hope that the town panchayat and people would help her mobilise required funds.

 

[prasad1]

Muslim family builds temple for Goddess
At a time when communal harmony is hard to come by in a riot-hit Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim has donated his land to have a Hindu temple built on it.


Haji Ikhlaq Ahmed, the donor, is a devout Muslim and a resident of Allahabad. Ahmed didn’t stop with merely donating land. He also laid the foundation stone for the structure in Allahabad, contributed money for construction and further donated truck loads of bricks, according to reports.


The temple, dedicated to Shiva, is going to be built in Madhuvan Vihar colony. Ahmed, who is popularly known in the area as ‘Abbu’ or father, attended the rudrabhisheka at the temple site and later took part in the satsang (religious discourse) along with hundreds of Hindu devotees. The programme was organized on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Thursday.


Reports said a committee had been scouting for land for the temple, but hadn’t found any success. Land owners were either unwilling to sell or quoted high prices.


But when Ahmed came to know about the search for a temple site, he himself approached the committee members and offered to donate his land. He also promised all help for the temple.


Ahmed said the country today needed people who treated all religions with equal respect and love. “There is only one lord...we may have different religions though,” he said.


In a state which has witnessed a series of communal riots in the recent past, Ahmed’s grand gesture stands out as a shining example of inter-religious amity.

 

[krish44]

in delhi , every year a procession is taken out by muslims and hindus together called ' Phoolwalon Ki sair' from pandav kaleen mandir called Bhairon ka mandir near pragati maidan n.delhi to

Tomb of Bhaktiar Kaki a sufi saint in Mehrauli to promote communal amity . This procession which used to take place during Emperoror Akbars time was revived by

J.Nehru in 1954 to promote hindu-muslim unity