Gaus Siwani / New Delhi

In 2013, when rioters had come to break the mosque in village Nanhera in Muzzafarnagar, western Uttar Pradesh, Ramveer Kashyap had stood like a rock to face the marauders. Seeing his courage, the villagers also came forward in support and managed to stop them.

A Hindu by faith, Ramveer Kashyap continues to look after the mosque till today.

Ramveer visits the mosque early morning; sweeps the floor and lights a candle in the evening. Before the month of Ramazan, he paints it with the help of his family. Ramveer takes care of his family by working as a casual labourer.

He takes looking after the mosque as his religious duty. “My faith tells me to respect all places of worship,” he says.

The interesting thing is that there is not a single Muslim in the village. Nanhada is a Jat-dominated village, 40 km from Muzaffarnagar town. Some Dalit and backward community people live here.

According to Ramveer, a large number of Muslim families lived in the village before independence. Slowly they left. Now hardly anyone comes here for worship.

Khushi Naseeb Ahmed, who lives in the nearby village of Kheri Firozabad, says, “I went to Nanhera a few years ago and was surprised to see a Hindu man looking after the mosque. I offered namaz there. Love and peace can overcome the hatreds."

Ramveer whose house is located close to the mosque says that in childhood the children used to play around the mosque. "for me, it is a place of worship that should be respected. There was no one to take care of it, I took responsibility. For the last 20 years, I have been cleaning it every day. I repair it with my family before Ramazan."

Dara Singh, the head of Nanhera village, also praises Ramveer for his selfless gesture. He said that Ramveer gets the mosque repaired with his money before each Ramazan. 

Ramveer Kashyap says that the 135-year-old mosque was built by a Sayyid from Rathidi village. Earlier, the people of the Muslim community living in the village used to offer Namaz, but since the Muslims have left the village, Namaz is not offered in the mosque. Ram Veer says that sometimes a passerby comes to the mosque to offer prayers.

He says that he is a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda. Years ago, after listening to a satsang held in a village, he started guarding the mosque.

City Qazi Tanveer Alam said that the religious place belongs to everyone. “It is our culture and civilization to respect all religions. It is good that a Hindu is serving the mosque. Ramveer is promoting brotherhood by setting an example of communal harmony. He deserves praise. He is a living example of our Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.”