Dehradun
Sisters Anita, 62, and Saroj, 57, have fulfilled the wish of their late father and also won the hearts of thousands of Muslims by donating land for the Idgah in Kashipur, a small town in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand.
They fulfilled their father's last wish that he hadn’t told them in his lifetime. The father Lala Brijanandan Rastogi died 20 years ago. This year, on the eve of Eid-ul Fits, two women donated 2.1 acres of land worth over Rs 1.2 crore for the expansion of local Idgah.
This act of the Rastogi sisters generated a wave of happiness among the Muslims. Special mention was made of the family in the Eid prayers and namaz was offered for them. Many social media enthusiasts posted the picture of the two sisters for wider circulation.
Brijanandan Rastogi, who died in 2003 at the age of 80, was a farmer. He owned a few acres of land in Kashipur, a part of which was given to his daughters Anita and Saroj as their share in the property.
Construction of the boundary wall of Eidgah in full swing
A few years after his passing away, the Rastogi sisters learned that Lala wanted to give a piece of land to his 'Muslim brothers' for Eid, but could not express his wish to his children to whom he had bequeathed his property.
Saroj, who lives with her family in Meerut, and Anita, who lives in Delhi with children, came to Kashipur on Sunday. Both of them completed the formalities for the transfer of land with the help of their brother Rakesh Rastogi. Rakesh, who lives in Kashipur, said, “My father was a firm believer in communal harmony.
“He wanted to donate land for the Idgah so that more people could get a place to offer Namaz on festivals like Eid,” he told the local media.
The chairman of the Idgah committee, Hussain Khan, described the late Lala as a "man with a big heart."
He said Lala was always the first one to donate any religion-related work. He not only gave cash but also distributed fruits and sweets generously among Muslims on the days like Eid. Rakesh Rastogi has continued this tradition. Khan said, "Lala and my father Mohammad Raza Khan were close friends for almost 50 years. Both are no more, but their faith in brotherhood lives on and they have given us a big lesson.”
This region is an oasis of peace. On the relations between different communities, Khan said that the Idgah is adjacent to the Gurudwara and the Hanuman temple, but there has never been any incident of communal tension.
“Today (Tuesday) the priest of Hanuman temple asked me about the timing of Eid prayers. When I told him that at 9 am, he said that he would switch off the loudspeaker of the temple during the puja,” Rakesh said.
Both the sisters have donated about four bighas of land for the expansion of the Idgah. In the presence of their families, the sisters handed over the papers and physical possession of the land to the Idgah Committee. The committee has started the work on the boundary by digging the foundation.
On adding the part of the land donated by the sisters the Idgah ground has become a rectangular piece of land. Birjanandan was hesitant to ask his two daughters for donating the land as it was in their name.
In the presence of social workers Piyush Aggarwal, Rakesh Rastogi, Idgah President Hussain Khan, and Lekhpal, the process of measuring the land and handing it over was completed. The families of both the sisters said that they respected the wishes of the late Lalji.
Hussain Khan, president of the Idgah Committee, said that Kashipur city is an example of national unity. It is a tradition to celebrate every festival together. “Our sisters Saroj Rastogi and Anita Rastogi have given four bighas of land for the expansion of the Idgah, which extends from the boundary of the Idgah to the road to the west.
“I thank him wholeheartedly on behalf of the entire community and hope that people of all religions will continue to share each other's joys and sorrows.”
_(1).webp)
