Diwali celebrated at Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Haji Ali: Communal Harmony Project-41

On the left is the photograph of Diwali celebration at Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.

This is just one of the umpteen such photos that show how Dargahs-Khanqahs have been celebrating Hindu and Muslim festivals together.

Another photo below shows how the entire Dargah has been lit up. The photo is courtesy @suficulturalorg

There are photographs of Haji Ali, the famous Sufi Shrine in Mumbai, lighting up on the occasion of Diwali, too.

This photo is also attached here (on the right).

\\
That's how we have been living and celebrating together, for ages.

When hundreds of millions live together, there is shared culture, joining each other in festivals. A few people will always be negative or start 'whataboutery'.

Even in the darkest times, never lose hope. There are numerous good people around us. Also, many fall to propaganda.

While it is important to fight injustice. Also keep sharing info about diverse aspects of the society & culture. Many don't believe or dislike or raise questions This is a huge, huge country. There are incidents of hate, and also there is love, harmony.

So just because we see lot of hate, amplified on social media, we do report news of harmony and certain traditions too. It is all goodwill, being humane. Of course, there's no onus on anybody to follow anyone's rituals.

We can simply be humane, celebrate with our friends, join them in their festivities, wish them, be good, spread the positive news. Acrimony, anger, bitterness, whataboutery--everyday, on each post, its so bad.

Muslims have been celebrating and joining the festivities with Hindu, Sikh, Christian and devotees of other faiths. And it's true for adherents of other faiths too. Whoever believes in harmony and humanity, would always share his neighbours' festivities.

And someone who is a bigot, will always see negativity even in the most positive things. Thanks to Delhi Karvan also for sharing photo. Credit to them as well as SufiCulturalOrg.

[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 post has been updated on October 28, 2019]

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]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Hindus visit mosques, ask devout to recite verses to cure illness: Communal Harmony Project-40

He was standing at the gate of the mosque for quite sometime.

The youth with a 'tilak', around 22-23 year old, standing with an infant in his arms, outside.

'Phoonk padwana hai', he said. 'Bachcha bimaar hai'. I asked him, 'Dawa di".

He replied in affirmative and said that 'phoonk padwa lenge to jaldi theek ho jayega'. There was hardly anyone inside as the prayer time was over long back.

When my elderly cousin came out, I told him. He blew the air, reciting some verses. Though I had seen this in qasbahs a lot, it was a bit surprising to see it in city, even now. That was at Muttaqipur in Lucknow, last month.

Just when TV channels spread Islamophobia and we hear news about lynchings, hatred, at the same time such traditions and stories give you another perspective about the country, on the ground.

[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]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Muslims forego Muharram procession to fund Hindu man's treatment: Communal harmony project-39

Muslims in Kharagpur town in West Bengal, decided not take Muharram procession, as the money spent would be used to fund the treatment of a Hindu man.

In times, when people fight over religious processions and every year, processions grow bigger and there is a competition to take out them, it is a news with a difference.

Samaj Sangha Club will raise 50,000 for Abir  Bhunia, 35, a Hindu man, who is suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of immune system, reports Kaushik Dutta.

They have already given him Rs 6,000, the report in Hindustan Times further says. In fact, stories are spread all around us though they don't get due attention. Read the complete story here [LINK].

“Muharram processions can be organised every year. But we have to save the life first,” said Amjad Khan, secretary of Samaj Sangha. “We have started raising money. On Friday, after the namaz we will ask the imam in the mosque to announce a donation drive for Abir. We hope to raise a bigger amount than the budget for our procession,” said Khan.

Abir is full of gratitude. The household is facing several issues apart from his illness. After the gesture, others also came forward for support. Pradip Sarkar, chairman of Kharagpur municipality, said they would try to help Bhunia.

[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]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Duo arrested for slaughtering calf: Aim was to create communal tension but UP police took prompt action, foiled it

Add caption

Two persons have been caught for cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh.

The accused--Ram Sewak Dixit and Mangal Dixit, have been arrested.

It was a person passing by the area, who saw the duo performing the slaughter in the field, when he informed the police.

Prompt action led to the arrest. Ram Sewak Dixit was caught red-handed, with blood on his hands and the sharp-edged weapon.

The aim was to cause a riot, reports Hindi newspapers. The links to some of the reports can be seen below.

Mercifully, it was a local resident [a Hindu man] who witnessed the scene, and informed Dial 100. Else, it could have led to communal tension or possibly a riot. After all, in any such case, the blame goes on Muslims.

Who would have believed that it was 'a conspiracy' to engineer a riot. Perhaps, the aim would have been to settle scores with someone, a neighbour whom they had old enmity, or long-term plan to cause riot and that would be used to grab land of Muslims and loot property.

Whatever, one hopes that the police probe would lead to more disclosures as to what was going on in the minds of the duo, that they committed the act. Even Sudarshan TV channels' website had to praise the 'fair and unbiased police action, notwithstanding the religion and caste of accused' [LINK].

*LINK: Dixit brothers arrested for cow slaughter in Gonda
*LINK: Two arrested for cow slaughter, booked under NSA too
*LINK: Duo caught for cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh

Terrorism in America, West: Major terror attacks by White men, media terms them 'shooter' or 'gunmen'

As many as 50 persons were killed in one of the worst shooting incidents in American history.

But media was not using the word 'Terror'.

The person--even after his name appeared, remained a 'suspect'. That's how media functions.

If a brown, black, Asian is suspect, he is quickly the terrorist. Else, the word Terror is not even thought of. Even terms like 'extremist' are not used.

Wade Michael Page, Anders Breivik, James Holmes and Dylann Roof are never described as terrorists.

Rather, they are called 'Insane gunman', 'White supremacist', 'Temple shooter', 'Extremist' or 'Fundamentalist' in the media reports.

This practice is followed in all respectable TV channels, newspapers and websites.

There is quick conclusion that the White man was 'psychologically upset' or had a 'disturbed' childhood or was a 'lonely person'. Hence, terms like White supremacist, Insane gunman or Shooter are used.

That's journalism in 21st century. For more, do check posts on this blog.

LINKS:

1. Insane gunman or Temple shooter but NEVER a terrorist: Media must de-link terror from religion

2. When 'White terrorist' kills 10 students in Oregon, US media calls him lone wolf or gunman

3. Florida airport firing: Once name was known, 'terrorist' became 'gunman', headlines diluted

4. Majoritarianism, racism: Why Dylann Roof not called terrorist despite killing people in US?

5. Alexandre Bissonnette attacked mosque, killed people, was fan of extremist right-wing leaders but he was not called terrorist