Keeping the faith

[Guest guest]

Keeping the faith

Ishfaq-ul-Hassan

Sunday, July 30, 2006 22:36 IST

 

GULMARG, Kashmir (July 30, 2006): Inside the sanctum sanctorum of the

historic Maharani temple here, a diminutive-looking priest recites

holy verses loudly. At first glance, he looks like any other Hindu

priest, but in reality he is a devout Muslim.

 

Thirty-year old Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh is the caretaker and priest of

the 91-year old temple, which houses a Shiv Lingam and idol of

Goddess

Parvati. He has been the priest of this Hindu temple for the last 14

years. Interestingly, he is well-versed in both the Gita and the

Quran. He offers Namaaz regularly and also performs aarti at the

temple.

 

" When everyone left the valley, I was the only person who took care

of

this temple, " said Sheikh. " Since then I am performing pujas

regularly

at this temple. And my antecedents have never been questioned. People

respect me more when I tell them that I am Muslim. "

 

The Maharani temple also known as Mohineshwari Shivalalaya was built

by Mohini Bai Sisodhia, the wife of erstwhile ruler of Kashmir

Maharaja Hari Singh, in 1915. The temple had a regular priest until

the onset of militancy in the area.

 

After the migration of the pandits [i.e., Kashmir Hindus, in the face

of escalating sectarian violence], Sheikh's uncle became its priest

and caretaker. Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh took over 14 years ago. Since

then, he has donned the mantle of priest of this historic temple.

 

" The temple remains open everyday from 6am to 9pm, " said Sheikh.

" Aarti is performed twice a day for devotees, mostly the tourists.

After performing aarti, I offer namaaz. "

 

The custodians of the Maharani temple are paying him a paltry sum of

Rs 1600 [uS $35] monthly to sustain his family.

 

" I have no other income, " he said. " But the devotees who come to know

about my religion sometimes offer some money as a token of

gratitude. "

 

Sheikh however, rues that the government has not done anything for

him

despite the fact he has kept the flame of secularism alive in tough

times.

 

" My residential quarters suffered damages during the October 8 quake,

but not a single penny came my way, " he lamented. " The

pseudo-secularists are being felicitated and I've not even been

recognised. "

 

Hindu devotees are grateful to him for setting a precedent of

Hindu-Muslim unity.

 

" All religions preach brotherhood, " said Asha Sadhu Dimri, [a Hindu

pilgrim visiting Kashmir from] Pune. " God is one and he does not

discriminate. It makes no difference for us who leads our prayers. "

 

Sheikh has also brought another Muslim relative to serve the temple.

 

" We consider it our duty to serve the people no matter which religion

caste or creed you belong to, " said Manzoor Ahmad, a gardener at the

temple.

 

SOURCE: DNA (Daily News & Analysis) India, Mumbai, by Ishfaq-ul-

Hassan

URL: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1044609