Earlier, the Hindus and Sikhs had built some mosques in other villages donating land, money and construction material
Monitoring Desk
In February last there were reports that a mosque built by Hindus and Sikhs for the Muslims of their village in the village Khanan Khurd village of Muktsar district of Punjab has become a symbol of the unity of Indians.
Hindus and Sikhs of the village raised funds for the construction of the mosque. They donated money and also construction materials to build a place for prayer for five Muslim families living in the village
All villagers joined the inauguration ceremony of the mosque. Muslim families offered their first prayers at the newly constructed mosque as others watched them.
The Waqf Board had given a small piece of land for the construction of the mosque in the village but it was not feasible for the five families to raise the resources for it.
Punjab’s Shahi Imam Mohammad Usman Rahmani, who visited the village appreciated the gesture of the non-Muslims of the village towards their Muslim brethren.
Mahendra Singh, a resident of Khanan Khurd, said that Muslims were not in a position to build a mosque on their own. He said when the Muslims offered their first namaz in the mosque, all of them were very happy.
It may be recalled that in December, a Sikh family from Bakhtgarh village in Barnala district also donated a piece of land for the construction of a mosque for 15 Muslim families in the village.
Another such incident was reported from the Machike village in the Moga district where an old mosque was demolished to pave way for a highway and it was rebuilt with donations from Hindus and Sikhs.
Meanwhile, shortly after the creation of a new district Malerkotla with a Muslim majority, the State had reported two heart-warming incidents of communal harmony and appreciation for each other’s religion. In Malerkotla, a Sikh man donated his ancestral land to local Muslims to construct a mosque.
In June 2021, in Moga’s Bhalloor village, Sikh and Hindu residents came together to help rebuild a mosque that has been in ruins since Partition in 1947.
After Partition, it may be recalled, a significant section of Muslims from North India went over to Pakistan and many mosques either fell into disuse or were converted into places of worship of other religions. In Bhalloor, too, the village mosque fell into disuse and gradual ruin. As there are only a handful of Muslim families in the village, the village head Pala Singh took the initiative to restore the mosque. “We are proud to be part of this initiative,” Singh had told media persons. The mosque’s foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by people of all faiths.
“After Partition, most Muslim families left for Pakistan and the mosque went into ruins after that. The new mosque will be built on the same land,” Singh said.
“Some people donated Rs.200000 at the venue itself and more help was assured,” Anwar Khan, head of the mosque’s managing committee, said adding that many non-resident Indians from Punjab had also pledged support for the mosque.
Bhoolar village had seven gurdwaras and two temples, but no mosque.
A report from Ludhiana said that in October 2020, in an example of communal harmony, all communities in Chakkar village joined hands to build a mosque.
_____________
Source: Awaz – The Voice, Frontline and other websites
