Where Kali Bridges Islam and Hinduism

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Faridpur, BANGLADESH - With a population of almost 130 million people

living in Bangladesh, the terms "Muslim" and "Hindu" are not self-

explanatory .

 

In a country where the majority is poor and illiteracy is endemic,

what does is actually mean to be a Muslim or a Hindu, and what kinds

of rituals do they observe? There is a huge variation within both

Islam and Hinduism -- and there might be a tremendous similarity in

ways of thinking, praying and believing within the two religions.

Hinduism is not necessarily opposed to Islam, or vice-versa -- the

religions may co-exist in harmony and even contribute to each other.

And Faridpur is such a place, where Muslims and Hindus live

peacefully together in harmony. ...

 

The Hindu population comprises approximately 20 percent of the town's

population. There are some Brahmins, but the majority of the Hindus

belong to the so-called low castes. (The high religion is what the

priests preach and what is written in the Scriptures. The Brahmans

and the ashrams are mainly directed towards Krishna in various forms,

although the Brahmans also pray to Kali on certain occasions.)

 

[but] the importance in this case is the religion of the so-called

low castes and the poor people in general. They cannot read the holy

books, and they follow their tradition and folk religion.

These common people pray to Kali. She is the supreme goddess, the

Mother of the World. Ganga is also a Mother, and Kali and Ganga are

often seen as sisters, but Kali is always the most powerful of them,

and Ganga may even be seen as a daughter of Kali.

 

Many Muslims and Hindus agreed that Fatima is the Mother of the World

for the Muslims, and Kali is the Mother of the World of Hindus. Allah

is identical with Narayan or Krishna, Ali is identical with Shiva or

Mahadev; the gods and goddess are the similar. Since there are two

religions, the paths are different, Nevertheless, the content of the

paths or the religions is identical, and there is only one God in the

world although the names differ. One prays to Fatima in mosques and

Kali in temples.

 

Among the Hindus in Faridpur, Kali is the most powerful of all gods

and goddesses. As one Kali-devoted Muslim woman said, "I am on my

Dharma" -- meaning that she follows and obeys the Muslims' rules and

regulations -- "but Kali is on my karma" -- meaning that Kali is her

path in this life. Kali is the only goddess which has enough power to

save the World from the evil, the sins, the disaster, and the

calamities that constantly threaten and kill the common people.

 

Even Muslims extreme poverty and state of despair seek help from Kali

when their lives are in danger, and if Kali saves them, they may

sacrifice a goat in one of her temples. This does not mean that Kali

is more powerful than Fatima, but only that in this particular case

Kali was more sufficient and efficient as a problem solver.

 

The Hindu religion has to a certain extent adapted more sufficiently

than Islam to the environment of Bangladesh. The annual floods are a

recurring problem which is incorporated into the low-religion of

common people. Each year the river will kill people and destroy land.

The Hindus pray to Ganga to save them, but the dangers of the floods

threaten Muslims too, who may also pray to the mighty river to save

them.

 

Even at the Hindu cemetery, there is a coexistence of Muslims and

Hindus. The Kali-devoted caretaker is a Muslim woman who assists the

descendants during their rituals, and both the Municipality and

Hindus, regardless of caste, are highly satisfied with her work. Both

Hindus and Muslims pray at the Shashan Kali temple. The local

Cremation Committee in Faridpur, which is responsible for the Hindu

funerals, also bury Muslim prostitutes at the cemetery, and the

committee located the cemetery according to Muslim rules so that

nobody would become offended.

 

Muslims and Hindus live religiously in a peaceful co-existence and

the differences between the religions are not a problem but a

strength. ...

 

Excerpted from a May 2, 2002, article in The Bangladesh Observer, by

Terje Oestigaard and Shahnoor Alam.

URL:

http://members.tripod.com/cruelbengalbeast/observer/20020507obs.htm