Hindu-Muslim amity on display in Ayodhya

Hindu-Muslim amity was on display in Ayodhya on the occasion of 'Annakut Festival' (a Hindu festival in which devotees prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Lord Krishna as a mark of gratitude) on Monday ahead of the supreme court verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid Title suits.

Iqbal Ansari, who was one of the main Muslim plaintiffs in the suits, attended the 'feast' organised by Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest at the makeshift Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Ansari not only joined the Hindu seers and others in having the 'prasada' but also accepted 'dakshina' (the money given to the invitees after attending the feast).

''I came to attend the feast at the invitation of the Acharya....it has been the tradition of Ayodhya...we attend each others' festivals...I have very cordial relations with the Hindu seers and saints of Ayodhya,'' Ansari said.

Acharya Satyendra Das also echoed similar sentiments and said that Hindus and Muslims had always shared excellent relations in Ayodhya. ''We never had any problems with the Muslims here,'' Das added.

The Acharya recalled that Ansari's father Hashim, the oldest plaintiff in the Ayodhya litigation, who died a few years back, and Mahant Ramchandra Das, one of the Hindu plaintiffs in the suits, used to travel together to attend the court hearings in the then Faizabad town.

''The outsiders cause problems here....the local people want peace and communal harmony,'' Ansari said.

The supreme court has reserved its judgement in the title suits and it is expected that it may pronounce its verdict in the next few days.