Dhanbad, Oct. 14: A group of Muslims is organising Durga Puja in Jharkhand in a
bid to promote inter-religious harmony.
The Bhuli colony in Dhanbad, about 240 km from state capital Ranchi, celebrates
the Durga Puja festival with traditional fervour and the credit for this goes
to the Muslim community. According to locals the puja pandal is majestically
decorated.
Our aim is make it one of the best and grandly decorated pandals in the city.
Durga Puja is a festival of victory of honesty and good over evil. This
festival cannot be restricted to one particular community, said Mohammad
Nausad, joint secretary of Sarvajanik Durga Puja Samiti (SDPS).
People of our community actively participate in the festival. We help in the
decoration of the pandal and organise other work for the puja, he added. This
year the pandal replicates New Delhis Lotus Temple of the Bahai community.
Durga Puja in Bhuli is the best example of secularism in India. We come out
with secular slogans during festivals to strengthen communal harmony and the
Muslims contribute in a big way, said SDPS president Mr Prem Kumar.
Bhuli is a Muslim dominated neighbourhood and Hindus are in a minority there.
Muslims celebrate the festival despite their religion frowning on idol worship.
A Muslim headed the puja samiti here for seven years 1988-1995.
thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=173412
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