Hindus, Muslims celebrate festivals of both faiths in this Madurai village

MADURAI: In a heartening display of communal harmony, Hindu residents of Thenur near Madurai brought traditional ceremonial offerings to mark the inauguration of a renovated mosque at the village, highlighting the spirit of unity and mutual respect among people of different faiths.The village, once known for the ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products, has now set an example of religious harmony. Hindu villagers offered ‘seer varisai’ (traditional gifts) consisting of Qurans, metal vessels, racks and a bureau for the madrassa, along with 10 varieties of fruits.P Sirajudeen, a villager, said the century-old Jumma Masjid in the village was reconstructed with contributions of around Rs 80 lakh from local villagers. The renovated mosque was inaugurated on Sunday and a community feast was organised as part of the celebrations, with nearly 3,000 people participating.“During the annual Purattasi (Tamil month) pongal festival at Sundaravalli Amman Temple in Thenur, Muslims actively participate. They contribute donations to the temple. When Hindu villagers abstain from consuming meat during the month, Muslims in the village follow the practice as well,” said S Karthigai Kumaran, another villager.Muslims also take part in the annual offering of the season’s first paddy harvest to Alagarkovil, an event held during the Tamil month of Thai. As part of the tradition, villagers collectively offer around 14 bags of paddy to the temple. “Muslims have offered their paddy harvest thrice so far,” he said.A Mohammed Riyaz said, “During the temple festival, members of the mosque offer special prayers when the idol of the temple goddess is brought and placed in front of the mosque, reflecting the long-standing communal harmony in the village. Muslims had not celebrated a major event for nearly 50 years, and the recent mosque inauguration was therefore a significant occasion for the community. Interestingly, the idol of the temple goddess was originally unearthed from a paddy field owned by the mosque.”Karthigai Kumaran said, “We decided to present a traditional seer varisai as a gesture of goodwill for the mosque’s inauguration. Men and women from the village took out a procession and offered the gifts to the mosque on Sunday.”When the procession reached the mosque, Jamaath members welcomed Hindu elders by draping shawls as a mark of respect and gratitude. Hindus joined the community feast and were served specially prepared mutton biriyani.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in MaduraiStay updated with the latest Madurai news. Download the TOI App.