Ghaus Siwani/New Delhi

A small village community in Gujarat has dealt a blow to the hate-mongers by sending out a message of love and syncretism. The ancient village temple was the venue of Maghrib, the evening prayers and Iftaar hosted by the villagers for more than 100 Muslims on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramzan.

The village panchayat and temple management committee had opened the premises of the ancient temple in Dalvana village of Banaskantha district for the fellow villagers for Iftaar. Around 100 persons offered Namaz and broke their fast at Varanda Vir Maharaj temple, a 1,200-year-old shrine with tremendous social and religious significance for the Dalvana community.

Pankaj Thakar, 55, the priest of Varanda Vir Maharaj temple said that this was the first time the temple premises was thrown open to Muslims for Iftaar.

He said, “We have always believed in co-existence and brotherhood. Many times, the dates of Hindu and Muslim festivals clash, and we ensure that the villagers help in each of them. This year, the temple trust and gram panchayat decided to invite the Muslim Rozedars to our temple premises to break their fast.”

Wasim Khan Fakhr, a 35-year-old businessman from Dalvana said the invitation to Muslims from the panchayat was an emotional moment for him. “Our village is known for brotherhood among communities. We have also worked shoulder to shoulder with our Hindu brothers in their festivals. This time, the gram panchayat approached both Hindu and Muslim community leaders and gave them a proposal that we should break our fast this Friday in the temple. It was an emotional moment for us,” he said.

This hosting was done on a day when the Hindus were also celebrating the Chaitra Navratri, the festival of the Goddess.

Not only that, but the temple administrators also made all the arrangements for the food and drink of more than a hundred fasting people for Iftaar. Five to six kinds of fruits, dates, and sherbets were offered to the guests. 

About 15% of the population of this village is Muslim and yet there have never been occasions for acrimony or social unrest.

The temple administration has chosen the first Friday of Ramzan for it has immense religious significance for Muslims.

To invite all fasting Muslims to the temple for an Iftaar party was the idea of the Village Sarpanch Bhupat Singh Hadiwal and it was unanimously accepted by the rest of the villagers.Hadiwal said, "We also invited Muslim friends from the surrounding villages and many of them took part in it."

The scene of Muslims offering Maghrib prayers on one side and Veer Maharaj's regular Aarti going on on the other side was truly divine. According to Ranjit Hadiwal, secretary, Varanda Veer Maharaj Temple, Dilwara Devasthan Trust, "Even when Hindu-Muslim conflicts were at their peak in the state, our village set an example of unity and religious tolerance. We do celebrate Dussehra, Muharram, Diwali, or Eid - We celebrate our festivals with collective enthusiasm. "

Most of the Muslim families in the village consider the former rulers of Palanpur as their ancestors who contributed to the construction of the temple.

According to the 2011 census, Dilwana has a population of about 2,500, mainly Rajputs, Patels, and Prajapatis. Apart from them, Muslims are also settled. There are about 50 Muslim families, mostly engaged in agriculture and small business.

Also Read: Hindu Muslim Unity on Ram Navami led to Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Sarpanch Pankiba Rajput says, "Our Muslim brothers helped us during the Ramnomi and Holi festivals, so we thought we should do the same for them this year as well."