JOIN US As the country prepares to mark the 20th year of the demolition of the Babari Masjid in Ayodhya, a temple in central Kerala has sent out a message of religious integration by constructing a home for a Muslim woman.
The temple in the coastal village of Kandamangalam in Aalapuzha district has gifted the house to Jameela, a deaf and dumb orphan woman, whom the temple committee had adopted in 2000.
The 52-year old Jameela ekes out a living by doing odd jobs at the temple without compromising her religious believes.
Jameela received the key of her house, constructed at a cost of Rs 4 lakh from the temple committee on Wednesday.
“For the house, the committee donated Rs 2 lakh and the rest was contribution by devotees and local residents of all religions – Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Response to our request to contribute to the noble cause was overwhelming and was above our expectation,” said temple committee secretary P N Dhananjayan.
In a couple of days she will move to her dream house. Now she resides in a thatched semi-permanent dwelling adjacent to the temple. Though speaking and hearing impaired and alone, she is completely under the protective wing of the temple committee.
“Since then she has been part of our temple and has been doing the works entrusted to her. We have never intervened in her religious faith or belief. We gave her the assurance from the day one that she is free to follow her religious practice and there will be no intervention from our side,” said Dhanajayan.
Security beefed up at Sabarimala
Security has beefed up in Sabarimala in view of the 20th anniversary of Babri demolition, reports DHNS. A bomb detection squad is carrying out checks every hour. A security force of 1,500 men, including CISF and Rapid Action Force personnel, had been deployed in and around the temple.
The security drill will continue to the next two days.