Bhakti Chalak

As thousands of Warkaris (pilgrims) walk miles to Pandharpur carrying a Tulsi plant on their heads as a sacred offering to Lord Vitthal, Vitthal Shinde and his wife, Shakubai Shinde, from Wanewadi village also set out on the annual pilgrimage.

Like every year, eager to have a glimpse of Lord Vitthal, the Shinde couple locked their home and left for Pandharpur. Before leaving, they entrusted their house—and their most sacred possession, the Tulsi plant in their courtyard—to the care of their neighbour, Shafiq Mulani.

Although Tulsi is revered by Hindus in general, it holds special significance for Warkaris as a symbol of devotion. Entrusting the sacred plant to their Muslim neighbours was, therefore, much more than an ordinary act of neighbourly assistance.

After the Shinde couple left for the Wari, Shafiq's wife, Anjum Mulani, took responsibility for looking after their home. She did not merely keep an eye on the house; every morning, she faithfully watered the sacred Tulsi plant.

One morning, while Anjum was watering the Tulsi, another neighbour, Shashikant Jedhe, noticed her. Without her knowledge, he captured the moment on his mobile phone and later shared it on social media. Before long, the photograph went viral.

Speaking to Awaz-The Voice, Anjum Mulani said, "In our neighbourhood, we all live in complete harmony and joy. There is absolutely no place for caste or religious discrimination here. We share a bond that is just like family with neighbours. We inform each other about our absence from the house and also leave the keys with each other.”

She further added, "The same happened this year. Before leaving the house, they gave us the keys and left without any worries. While I was watering the Tulsi as usual, our other neighbour, Shashikant Bhau, took a picture of me. I had absolutely no idea about it. I only found out when he posted the photo with a caption on his status."

Currently on the Wari pilgrimage, Vitthal Shinde says, "We locked our house and left for the Wari with absolute peace of mind. In our absence, our neighbours, Shafiq Bhai and his wife Anjum, are taking care of our house and the Tulsi in our courtyard. This Muslim sister waters our Tulsi every single day without fail. She has taken the responsibility of keeping it fresh by watering it daily until the Wari is completed. She performs this task with profound devotion."

The Shinde couple on their way to pilgrimage

He further states, "No matter how much venomous propaganda is spread outside, the religion of humanity is still alive in our Wanewadi village. Instead of clinging to caste and religion, we prioritise respecting each other's sentiments. Just as Sant Shaikh Mohammed said, 'Hindu and Turk are both one', Ishwar and Allah are the same. Rather than being stuck in rigid orthodox practices, there is true joy in celebrating such events of religious and social unity."

The Mulani family's broad-mindedness and spirit of communal harmony have deep roots. Anjum Mulani hails from Bhavaninagar in Indapur taluka and moved to Wanewadi after her marriage. The couple has two children: their son, Aman, works in Pune, while their daughter, Sadiya, is an IT engineer.

Despite being a Muslim, Anjum Mulani observes the Sankashti Chaturthi fast with deep devotion. The same values have been instilled in her children, whose upbringing reflects an atmosphere of mutual respect and cultural harmony.

Speaking about these values, Shafiq says, "Our entire family grew up under the guidance of senior leader Anand Dada Bhosale. He was the head of our village. He took people of all religions along with him. He imparted this very teaching to everyone. We were blessed to receive his guidance and upbringing."

Recalling an incident, Shafiq shares, "In 1996, Anand Dada started the very first Iftar party for Muslims in our rural area. After his passing, his children have kept that tradition alive to this day. Every year, they host an Iftar party for all Muslims on the 27th fast. People of all castes and religions live here. The hateful propaganda that runs outside never even manages to touch our minds."

Speaking about his experience with the Wari, Shafiq says, "In our childhood, we first saw the Wari in Someshwar. Every Monday of the Shravan month, a huge fair is held near the Someshwar temple in Karanjya. We still go there. The late Anand Dada himself used to participate in the Wari. We learned all this just by watching him."

Bapurao Jedhe, the Mulani family's immediate neighbour, shared his appreciation, saying, "Words fall short to praise Shafiq Bhai. We have been neighbours for the last 50-60 years. But the feeling of brotherhood between us has never diminished. The Mulani family and we have lived with immense love. After this gesture, Anjum Bhabhi has truly added a feather to the cap. This is what you call love and Padosi Dharma (the duty of a neighbour)."

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He further added, "We will all continue to live happily like this and fulfil our duties as neighbours. My Dada always tells me that a man is happy if his brother is happy, and a man is happy if his neighbour is happy. The seed of love that Anand Dada planted in our village has now grown into a massive banyan tree."