Village shows way out for Babri issue

Hindu and Muslim residents in this nondescript Uttar Pradesh village in Maharajganj district, about 325 km from here, neither approached the politicians nor the courts to resolve their dispute over temple and “mazar” (a shrine built over a grave). The villagers took barely a day to arrive at an amicable solution to the dispute and drew the dividing line through mutual negotiations.

And now, the construction of both—a Shiva temple and renovation of the mazar—is going on in full swing with active cooperation and financial support from members of both communities at Dhuswa Kala village. According to reports, tension gripped the village after a chance discovery of a “Shiva Lingam” during the digging of the land for constructing a platform by the side of the mazar a few days back.

The mazar was being renovated. A section of Hindus, which comprised 75 per cent of the village’s population, wanted to construct a Shiva temple at the spot to which some Muslims vehemently objected. The village elders, of both communities, moved quickly realising that the situation could go out of hand and there could be violence.

A meeting was convened a couple of days ago under the chairmanship of the village “pradhan” (head), who incidentally is a Muslim. It was decided that the entire land of the mazar would be divided into two equal parts. “Half of the land has been given for the construction of the Shiva temple and a wall will be raised to divide the two religious places,” said Zamir Ahmed, the village pradhan.

The renovation work of the mazar and construction of the temple were both going on without any hindrance and both communities are helping in this endeavour. “It is very difficult to say who is working at the mazar and who is working at the temple site,” Ahmed said.
DH News Service