A friend clicked this photograph and send it to me. It doesn't show any extraordinary situation but I found it amusing in a sense.The bike has perhaps come for repair at a Muslim mechanic's shop. [Or the tyre is punctured]. Just behind him, the arrow [it tells time of Zohar--afternoon namaz] shows that there is a mosque nearby.
What is interesting is that the bike has 'Hindu' written on it prominently. Though in the decade of 80s, it was quite common for people to write 'Garv Se Kaho Ham Hindu Hain' and the Muslims getting 'Fakhr Se Kaho Ham Musalman Hain', on their business establishments. But here the bike has nothing else written on it. I don't remember seeing just 'Hindu' or 'Muslim' written on vehicles.
On the mobikes of Bajrang Dal and VHP activists, one often finds 'Jai Bhawani' , 'Om' or 'Jai Shri Ram'. But the unique identification of the bike, which declares 'I am a Hindu or a Hindu rides this bike' is amusing and at one level innocent as well. On bikes of Muslims, it is rare to find any symbol. Yes, some times one may find, 'Ya Ali'.
Also note, that the mechanic in photo also fits in the image of the Muslim, 'skullcap on head', slight beard and taviz [amulet]. Another reason I posted the photograph is that I was not in a mood to write some serious stuff. So I got the photo and decided to post it instead.
The moral! Is there any moral. Isn't it too childish to celebrate secularim or harmony on seeing a Hindu and Muslim together. Perhpas, the moral is that, one may identify himself as anything--a liberal or a staunch follower of his religion, but we can't do without each other. Or may be you can come out with your own and share it with me.
[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.
There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now. This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]
For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project
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