Hindus, Muslims, Christians join hands to celebrate Ganeshotsava in Mumbai

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If you believe in communal harmony, you will find inter-religious harmony at every nook and corner in India.

You will find innumerable examples among your friends, acquaintances and in your neighbourhood.

It is not about Mumbai alone. In other cities too, it is a common sight, to see people participating in construction of tableaux.

Similarly, if you don't believe in this idea, and somehow feel that there is eternal conflict between certain religions and their adherents, you will not be able to see this beautiful and syncretic culture, which has always thrived in India.

See the photograph on the left. It is about the Ganpati celebration in Mumbai. The hoarding has the names of organisers. There are Aditya and Shyam, along with Obaid Khan and Farhan Mirza. With them is Anthony D'sa and Nafis Syed.

Many of us walk past such hoardings without casting a glance. For cynics, even this may not be enough. But this cultural unity is part of our daily lives in India. On social media, especially, Twitter, we encounter people who give an impression as if different communities are always at loggerheads and have nothing common.

Now there is the second photograph below. It shows banner of an organisation congratulating Muslims on Ramzan. The organisation's name is 'Shree Naveen Ekta Durga Utsava Samiti' and along with the Goddess' photograph, it also carries '786', 'crescent' and the message for Muslims on Ramzan.

They are not politicians, who are trying to seek votes. They are all ordinary individuals, who have friends of different communities, and who share each others' pain and pleasure.

It is not about Ganesh Chaturthi alone but is true for most festivals in this country.

Yes, this is the real India. The virtual world may give you the impression that Hindus and Muslims are always arguing, fighting and accusing each other.

But reality is that the hate-filled Tweeples can't even put up a banner or a hoarding, let alone organise events on the street.They may spread hate round the clock, but can't come out of their bubble, to do something constructive that can enrich the lives of the people.

The real culture, the shared heritage is there on the street. This is the true Indian culture.

[Top photo. Courtesy my dear friend Ganesh ji, who BLOGS HERE]

Tilak, Topi in Indian politics: People don't want Hindu politicians to wear skullcap or Muslim leaders to sport 'tilak' or perform Puja

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Media often takes up the issue of Narendra Modi not wearing a 'topi' [skullcap]. I don't think it is an issue at all.

Do you think those who oppose him would have a change of heart, if he wears the topi! Still, on TV & social media, this issue is raised time and again.

Amid conversation with Muslim friends, this topic often came up. Not a single Muslim I met, ever said that he expects or wants Modi to wear the topi.

Why should it be expected? In fact, the person who offered him topi shouldn't have done it. Citizens want the politician to be honest and work, rather than do such gestures. People on the street are more smart than journos believe them to be.

Another interesting aspect is that many people write that while Hindus are expected to wear topi, Muslims don't do anything like that? Arrey bhai, this is no secularism. Just for the sake of information, I should tell you that Muslims not just sport 'tilak' but many politicians have even done puja.

So? How many Hindu leaders perform Namaz? Is this a debate at all? Muslims remember how PV Narasimharao spoke in chaste Urdu on TV just after 'allowing' the demolition of Babri Masjid, and even promising that he would rebuild the masjid again at the same spot.

LK Advani is seen covered in green cloth at Ajmer shrine but don't we remember his Rath Yatra? They do it for reasons they know best. 

Topi is no Islamic symbol though it has become one in India. In Arab, even in mosques you don't need to cover your head, during prayers.

In India, media image of Muslims is that of a person who is wearing the skullcap. Till a few decades back, it used to be the Turkish cap.

But in India, we have a unique culture. Hindus and Muslims, despite their perceived differences, attend each others' programmes and even religious events.

Prominent persons are invited at such places, and to offer respect, the person is either offered 'headgear', made to wear 'saafa', or 'tilak' applied on forehead. This doesn't mean everything should be seen as Communal Vs Secular or Hindu Vs Muslim.

Section of media splashes the pictures to create CONTROVERSY and then seeks others' opinion to get TRP. Though this is a non-issue. When Mamata Bannerji covers her head, the photo is seen as 'interesting' and gets published. Lalu Yadav, Mulayam and even Atal Bihari Vajpayee were seen wearing topi at iftaar. 

Muslim politicians with 'tilak' are common to see at any event. In fact, Muslim leaders often go to temples and even pray.

Yes, they do it too, despite all allegations of Muslims being more rigid. Do Hindus expect them to do it? No. Only a fool will call it appeasement. And no one forces them to do it either.

While passing the area, the leader feels that he should go to the temple, he goes. Nobody prevails upon the neta to do that or even bow head before God or Goddess.

I know many Muslims who have no objection getting a 'tilak' on their forehead. But some may not because they don't have Hindu friends from childhood.

Similarly, many Hindus easily go to mosque or dargah while some don't, again, because these Hindus didn't have close Muslim friends early in the life. You can't judge people over these issues. All these gestures are more about your personal feelings.

A person does it also because of his society, his childhood friends and his/her engagement with people in his/her area.

A person or politician may not resort to such gestures but at the same time he could be many times more honest and just.

In fact, those who talk about such things, probably, have never lived in the real India, and have no idea about the strength of Hindu-Muslim bonding at the ground level.

As I start thinking, I can recall many more politicians doing such acts. It is their personal choice. They often do it to respect others sentiments. It is not right to say that they are fooling us. 

Would you call these acts as 'Hindu Tushtikaran' or 'Hindu Appeasement'. Of course, not. We are a diverse country of multiple faiths and overlapping cultural practices.

Don't we all remember, how Samajwadi Party MLA Chaudhary Bashir was attacked by a section of clerics for Puja at Hanuman temple in Agra. 

And MUSLIM LEAGUE's leader Cherkulam Abdullah went to mutt and sported vermilion [tilak] on his head, leading to a controversy.

There is no dearth of such incidents. We are a unique society. It can't be judged from British, American or any other point of view. We are a nation of 1.2 billion persons. There will be many trivial incidents every day and at the same time there will be many great events too.

Depends, what you track, what you see, what you are shown and what you want to believe.

MORAL of the Story

Those in media who feel that Muslim with tilak is doing 'Hindu tushtikaran' or Hindu wearing topi is 'Muslim appeasement' are not too much far from those who think India is just a land of snake charmers and yogis. Or you perhaps had most interaction with the 'Other' on just social media and internet. 

Get a life, yaar.

Check these links if you want to read more

1. Photograph of Tariq Anwar sporting the 'tilak' courtesy The Hindu

2. Shazia Ilmi's photographs at Bhaskar's website

3. Muslim MLA condemned for puja at Hanuman temple Times of India

4. Last photo courtesy Business Insider [Rajesh Kumar Singh]

5. Muslim League Minister Cherkulam Abdullah sported tilak Link
6. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's photo wearing topi. Courtesy S Arneja [Frontline]

'Religious clocks' sell briskly at this shop: Will you buy Hindu Clock or Muslim Clock?

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Just a few days back, I had an interesting experience. A friend had bought a watch for me as a gift from abroad but I couldn't wear it because its strap [chain] was loose.

That day I went out with the watch in my pocket. On way, I saw a small shop where there was no customer.

It took the man barely a few minutes to take out the links and fix them again, using the hammer and other equipment. 

I asked him, if I could get a good clock. The wall clocks in my house were not working well. In the drawing room, the clock stopped after a few weeks. I changed batteries but nothing happened. I replaced the clocks but the problem persisted.

The shop owner asked me, 'Kaun si ghadi lenge?'. 'Koi si bhi dikha dijiye", I said. "Dharmik [religious] ghadi chalegi?". "Kaun si". "Hindu ghadi ya Muslim ghadi", came the reply. "Ji?" "Yahi zyada chal rahi hain aaj kal", he said. Now I was a bit surprised. He pointed his finger towards these clocks.

There were lines of such clocks. The background had either Hindu gods or Islamic photographs. Hmm, so these are the Hindu and the Muslim Ghadis!

"Log lete hain inko?", I again asked. "Sab se zyada yahi chalti hain, bhai sahab", he said. "Hindu wali mein Ganesh ji wali zyada bikti hai", he added.

There was another interesting aspect. The price range was slightly different. For example, if clocks of A group cost Rs 160, the clocks of B group cost Rs 170.

Now I won't tell you which clock--Hindu or Muslim, is costlier of the two, because it will lead to different interpretations. You can, of course, speculate.

There were no Christian or Sikh clocks though. I came out wondering, why would people buy these clocks?

Is it just a fad. Or because this shop was near a locality of particular economic stratum, that these clocks sold more in this area?

I don't think that big showrooms would have many such clocks. Perhaps, when a person takes home the 'religious clock', the family members are happy.

As they feel that there is another godly or spiritual thingon their wall. People put up religious posters, calendars, photographs on the walls for a variety of reasons. 

So it is the 'Barkat wali ghadi' or as goes the old adage 'Aam ke aam, guthliyo.n ke daam'.

It is also possible that a Hindu may be Muslim clock or a Muslim may buy Hindu clock. Yes, it happens a lot, when people buy gifts, for friends.

Friends have gifted my Perso-Arabic calligraphy in the past. While I end this post, just a reminder. It is a light post. I found it amusing and so wrote about it.

There is a demand for certain type of goods and so they sell. It is not like the 'Hindu water, Muslim water' sold in pre-independent era. So don't take it to your heart.