The Muslim and Sanaton community people have set up a unique example of communal harmony by conducting religious rituals peacefully in a Mosque and a Temple located on the same courtyard in Lalmonirhat district town.
The Sanaton community people are now celebrating Durga Puja, their greatest religious festival, amid ‘Ulludhoni’ and music in one part and Muslims performing five time prayers on the other part of the square.
Talking to BSS, local people and leaders of the Muslim and Sanaton communities said the Puran Bazar Jam-e-Mosque and Central Kalibari Temple were built on the same courtyard at Kalibari area in Lalmonirhat town over 150 years back.
Purohit of the Temple Shree Sankar Thakur said the two religious establishments on the same courtyard prove shining religious freedom of the people there to burnish communal harmony on this soil.
“When the ‘Muajjin’ announces ‘Azan’, the time for prayers, by calling the Muslims, the Sanaton community people stop all activities of worship in the Puja mandap as mark of showing respect to the Muslims,” he said.
The Muslims and Sanaton communities are performing their respective religious rituals as per their own choice through offering five-time prayers with munajats on one side while ‘Sharodiyo’ Durga Puja is being celebrated on the other side.
“It is a delight for everyone witnessing these unique religious activities of prayers and worship of the Muslims and Sanaton community at the Mosque and Temple on the same courtyard,” the Purohit added.
Talking to BSS, President of the Puran Bazar Jam-e-Mosque Managing Committee Md. Fazal Mian said coexistence of the Mosque and Temple on the same square glitters testimony of communal and religious harmony for many decades.
“The Muslims and Santan community people are performing their respective religious festivals without any confusion setting up a unique example of communal harmony in Bangladesh,” he said.
Prayers(namaj) and Puja worships are happening on the same courtyard for ages and the Temple becomes full of worshippers when the prayer is over at the Mosque after ‘Azan’.
“Many foreign dignitaries, Ambassadors and High Commissioners like former US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena visited the place to witness peaceful coexistence of the Mosque and Temple on the same square,” Fazal Mian added.
According to Treasurer of Central Kalibari Temple Committee Shree Sanad Chandra Saha, the temple was established at Kalibari in 1836 initially as a Kali Mandir.
Later, a market started functioning there when local traders and pious Muslims established the Mosque beside the Temple in 1900 for their religious purposes in consultation with the Sanaton community.
“Since then, the two community people are performing respective religious activities peacefully at two religious establishments there without any dispute setting up a glaring example of communal harmony,” Saha added.
Local leader of the Sanaton community Kamal Kanti Roy said the main goals of establishing the Temple and Mosque are performing worships and offering prayers.
