Muslim pujari in Durga's abode - The Times of India

February 1, 2007

Muslim pujari in Durga's abode

[ 29 Jan, 2007 0205hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

VISAKHAPATNAM (29 Jan, 2007): This is the essence of secular India.

Respect and tolerance for all faiths. In a shining example of this,

Payakaraopeta, a village in this district has a Muslim pujari at its

Durga temple. He, like any other pujari , chants prayers in Sanskrit,

helps visitors with their prayers and also carries out all the

rituals.

What sets him apart is his name — Sheikh Mira Sahib. Payakaraopeta is

located close to Tuni, a small town known for its betel leaf

production. Every Monday, over a hundred people from several nearby

villages climb the unpaved steps of Seethamma hill to pray to the

goddess. Mira Sahib guides them all in performing various rites and

the worshippers acknowledge him as their pujari .

With a shaven head, bare-chested and wearing a dhoti, Mira Sahib

begins his day at the temple at 7 am and spends his time till late

afternoon in saying prayers and helping the pilgrims.

He then returns home and attends to his chores. His earning is the

dakshina that is given to him by devotees. " I used to herd buffalos

about 25 years ago. I also used to help in weeding the path on this

hill for archaeologists who were looking for some old relics and

hidden caves, " Mira reminisces.

" One day my gunapam (spearlike tool) hit something irregular. It was

an idol of Goddess Durga. There were a few idols lying about uncared

for, so I tossed this one also downhill. I came home and forgot about

what I did. That night in my sleep the goddess appeared before me as

my daughter. She demanded that I perform puja to her daily. Then she

vanished. I was nonplussed and didn't know what to do for sometime.

Then I made up my mind to follow her instructions, " says he.

Next day Mira went back to the hill and installed the idol at the

place he had found it. A few weeks later he began performing the puja

to her.

" I learned a few mantras by listening to other worshippers. Later, I

learned them properly from my guru, Subramanya Sastry. He taught me in

spite of opposition from some people, " he recollects.

Muslim pujari in Durga's abode

SOURCE: The Times of India

URL: http://tinyurl.com/357cc9

February 4, 2007

Dear Jagbir, I have completed the french translation of the front page. i am now in the cosmetic phase. You will get it soon. To illustrate what is going on now, let me tell you a dream I have made at the very beginning of my being in SY. I entered the Palace of Sri Shiva; It was beautiful, all made of ice. There I saw the "priesthood" and many others all in cocktail dress, drinking champagne.... I was wondering what I was doing there with them. This situation seemed odd to me. Then ,small people came to me and told me that I was not to stay here, I had to go with the children. They invited me to climb on a huge sleigh and we escaped the palace through a big hole in the wall. When I looked back, the whole palace had collapsed with its occupants inside.... This dream proved to be useful to understand what I was

to experience with these people, and seems more than ever tangible. Truly yours Nicolejagbir singh <adishakti_org wrote: Muslim pujari in Durga's abode[ 29 Jan, 2007 0205hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]VISAKHAPATNAM (29 Jan, 2007): This is the essence of secular India.Respect and tolerance for all faiths. In a shining example of this,Payakaraopeta, a village in this district has a Muslim pujari at itsDurga temple. He, like any

other pujari , chants prayers in Sanskrit,helps visitors with their prayers and also carries out all the rituals.What sets him apart is his name — Sheikh Mira Sahib. Payakaraopeta islocated close to Tuni, a small town known for its betel leafproduction. Every Monday, over a hundred people from several nearbyvillages climb the unpaved steps of Seethamma hill to pray to thegoddess. Mira Sahib guides them all in performing various rites andthe worshippers acknowledge him as their pujari .With a shaven head, bare-chested and wearing a dhoti, Mira Sahibbegins his day at the temple at 7 am and spends his time till lateafternoon in saying prayers and helping the pilgrims.He then returns home and attends to his chores. His earning is thedakshina that is given to him by devotees. "I used to herd buffalosabout 25 years ago. I also used to help in weeding the path on thishill for archaeologists who were looking

for some old relics andhidden caves," Mira reminisces."One day my gunapam (spearlike tool) hit something irregular. It wasan idol of Goddess Durga. There were a few idols lying about uncaredfor, so I tossed this one also downhill. I came home and forgot aboutwhat I did. That night in my sleep the goddess appeared before me asmy daughter. She demanded that I perform puja to her daily. Then shevanished. I was nonplussed and didn't know what to do for sometime.Then I made up my mind to follow her instructions," says he.Next day Mira went back to the hill and installed the idol at theplace he had found it. A few weeks later he began performing the puja to her."I learned a few mantras by listening to other worshippers. Later, Ilearned them properly from my guru, Subramanya Sastry. He taught me inspite of opposition from some people," he recollects.Muslim pujari in Durga's abodeSOURCE: The Times

of IndiaURL: http://tinyurl.com/357cc9

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