Ganesh Chaturthi & Bakrid: Of Religions and Revelries in Harmony

In this village along the Karnataka-Maharashtra border, Muslims chant Hindu shlokas and Hindus read the Quran.

This group of Hindus and Muslims perform every festival with fervour and gusto. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute) 

Haridas Koli and Javed Kalamba were surprised when they were told that they followed different religions simultaneously. They did not even believe when they were told that Ganesha Chaturthi is a Hindu festival and Muharram is considered a sacred month only by Muslims.

Welcome to Kurumbawada, a village in Maharashtra, less than 5 km from Belagavi district in Karnataka, where people know little difference between both the religions and celebrate Hindu and Muslim festivals with the same enthusiasm.

The village has over 150 Muslim families and 200 Hindu families.

Like the last 70 years, the Hindu and Muslim families in the village are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi this year too. And it is Javed’s uncle Dasker Guri, who does the pooja on a few evenings.

We keep the idol in Muharram Khana, a place which is used by the Muslims during Muharram. If a Muslim is conducting the <i>aarti</i>, he also chants the Hindu <i>shloka</i>s. We too know verses from the <i>Quran</i>.

Haridas, a farmer by profession.

Preparations are in full swing for Ganesh Chaturthi. (Photo: PTI)

The visarjan is conducted every six or seven years. The idol is kept in Haridas’ house and brought back to the Muharram Khana during Ganesh Chaturthi. “We collect money every year and when we have enough money to buy another big idol for the coming year, we immerse the old idol. The present Ganesh idol will be immersed in 2018,” he said.

Javed said that every religion propagates peace and brotherhood and that his village goes out to prove that people from different religions can also coexist in harmony.

“We also contribute rice, lentils and other things required for ‘anna dana’ (food distribution). Mahaprasad (last day of Ganesh Chaturthi) is on Monday and all villagers will come together to prepare the food,” Javed said.

The people of the village celebrate most of the Hindu and Muslim festivals together and they are gearing up for Bakrid, which is a day after Mahaprasad.