Lucknow: Mankameshwar Mandir hosts first roza iftar on ghats famous for Gomti aarti

LUCKNOW: There was a stillness in air on Sunday evening but there was fluidity of movement on the Shri Mankameshwar Upvan ghats as well when skull caps wearing Muslim men took their place on crisp white sheets, minutes before the azaan (call to prayer) announced time for roza iftar. It was the first time the one of the oldest Shiva temple in Lucknow hosted a roza iftar to dispel the message of peace, brotherhood and unity.
So when a 'tilak-dhari' clad in a saffron t-shirt ushered his Muslim brethren to the designated spots and poured water and food for those in white skull caps, it came as a reminder to the harmonious traditions of India.

On the invite from the temple committee, Muslim men and women (for whom separate arrangement was made) assembled in large numbers including Imam of the Teeley Wali Masjid Maulana Fazlul Manna Rahmani, Maulana Sufiyan Nizami, spokesperson of Darul Uloom Farangi Mahali and Nawab Jafar Mir Abdullah and Nawab Masood Abdullah.


And overseeing preparations for the day was the woman of the hour, chief priest of Shri Mankameshwar Mandir, Mahant Devyagiri, who said, "It has been the Indian tradition for centuries that Hindus celebrate Muslim festivals and Muslims celebrate Hindu festivals. These months for Hindus too are auspicious when we are observing nine bada mangals. This is the time that a good deed is rewarded 70 times more than its reward. And what better way to earn reward than serve those who have fasted from dawn to dusk as obedience to God."

Once the roza iftar was done with prior arrangements, namaz was also offered at the ghats with Imam of the Teeley wali Masjid leading prayers.


Applauding the initiative, Mohammad Ghufran Khan from Khadra said, "Our country has been known as the symbol of peace between Hindus and Muslims and it is only some anti-social elements try to create chaos. Such a get-together spoils their attempts." SW Bari from Daliganj added, "These events should happen more, at every corner of the road and every city and state. We had no hindrance in coming here, infact we propagated the invite as far and wide as we could."