Arif Bamane: The hero who braved the waves to save lives at the Gateway of India

Middle-aged Arif Bamane, a seasoned leader of a commercial MBT pilot boat, has emerged as a champion after his swift and selfless actions saved lives during a tragic collision near Mumbai’s Gateway of India on December 18, 2024. The incident, which occurred when a Navy speedboat undergoing engine trials collided with the passenger ferry Neel Kamal, resulted in 13 fatalities. Yet, thanks to Arif’s timely intervention, at least 30 lives, including those of a three-year-old girl and a newborn baby, were saved.

On receiving a distress call, Arif and his team rushed to the accident site, traversing a distance typically covered in 18–20 minutes in just eight minutes. Describing the horrific scene to reporters, Arif said, “It was devastating. People were crying for help, some floating on the waves, while others struggled to stay afloat without life jackets. I saw a little girl lying motionless, with her lungs filled with water. I also rescued a newborn who wasn’t breathing and revived him by hanging him upside down.”

Arif, aboard his boat Porwa, a pilot vessel used for assisting larger ships in anchoring, led his team in pulling people out of the treacherous waves. While many at the Gateway of India stood as helpless spectators, praying for the victims, Arif jumped into action. His priority was the vulnerable—children and women—whom he dragged to safety, calmed with reassuring words, and provided life jackets to.

The collision had caused panic among the 115 passengers aboard the ferry, many of whom were thrown into the water. Arif’s quick thinking and courage made the difference between life and death for several people. In one instance, he noticed a young girl being swept by strong waves. Without hesitation, Arif dove into the sea, rescued her, and performed life-saving measures to revive her. The girl’s mother, who witnessed Arif’s relentless efforts, called him a divine saviour.

Arif’s selfless rescue extended to a new-born baby who was not breathing when he was pulled from the water. Using his presence of mind, Arif held the infant upside down to drain water from his lungs, successfully resuscitating him. “I and my team must have saved 25–30 lives,” Arif said as per AwaztheVoice, reflecting on the rescue operation that unfolded amidst chaos.

13 lives were lost, and over 100 people were rescued when an Indian Navy craft undergoing engine trials collided with a passenger ferry near Mumbai’s Gateway of India. The ferry was heading to Elephanta Island when disaster struck.

Arif Bamane, one of the first responders,… pic.twitter.com/Ci0I3qQGam

— Mojo Story (@themojostory) December 19, 2024

As the accident unfolded, it became clear that Arif’s prompt response was instrumental in mitigating the scale of the tragedy. His bravery and leadership have been widely recognised, with social media and offline platforms hailing him as a hero. Passengers who owe their survival to Arif have described his intervention as nothing short of miraculous.

On December 24, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had also felicitated Arif Bamane.

Mumbai | Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray felicitated Arif Bhai Bamane who rescued many people during the Neelkamal ferry accident, says the party.

Source: Shiv Sena UBT pic.twitter.com/rLKaJCZ8Cx

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2024

Arif Bamane’s story is a powerful reminder that true heroes often emerge from the most unexpected places. His actions on that fateful day demonstrated not just immense courage but also an unwavering commitment to helping others in their time of need. For the lives he saved and the hope he rekindled, Arif stands as a beacon of humanity amidst the waves of despair.

An ordinary plumber becomes a state hero: Waris Khan’s extraordinary tale of bravery

Waris Khan, a humble plumber from Beaura in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh District, has risen to prominence after a selfless act of heroism that saved 7 lives. His story, a testament to courage and humanity, has resonated far beyond his small town, capturing the attention of the state and even earning praise from the chief minister.

A 12-year veteran of municipal service, Waris Khan’s life had been marked by struggles. After being dismissed from his temporary job as a plumber, he juggled multiple menial roles, including working as a bus cleaner and a labourer, to support his family. His journey, however, took a remarkable turn on the morning of November 13, when his courage and quick thinking made him a hero.

That day, Waris was travelling on his motorbike from Beaura to Banaganj along the busy AB Road Highway. As he rode, he witnessed a terrifying accident: a car en route from Shivpuri to Bhopal had overturned due to a brake failure. The crash left 7 people trapped inside the vehicle, with its doors jammed shut and the passengers helpless.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Waris pulled over and rushed to the scene. Armed with nothing but his resolve, he began smashing the car’s windows with his bare hands. His priority was the children, whom he rescued first, followed by the women and finally the men. His determination ensured that all 7 passengers were freed from the wreckage before further harm could come to them.

This selfless act was carried out without any expectation of reward or recognition. Waris, who does not use a smartphone or social media, had no way of publicising his actions. Yet, news of his heroism quickly spread, capturing the attention of both the media and local authorities.

His bravery eventually reached Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who personally commended him through a video call. During their conversation, the chief minister announced a cash reward of one lakh rupees for Waris. However, true to his modest nature, Waris politely declined the monetary prize. Instead, he made a heartfelt request: the reinstatement of his old job at the municipality, which he had lost years earlier.

शिवपुरी से भोपाल जा रहे एक परिवार के 7 सदस्यों की कार ब्यावारा के पास दुर्घटनाग्रस्त होकर खंती में गिर गई थी। वहां से गुजर रहे एक नागरिक वारिस खान ने साहस दिखाते हुए कार का कांच तोड़कर सभी को बाहर सुरक्षित निकालकर जान बचाई।

वारिस खान जी की संवेदनशीलता एवं साहस प्रशंसनीय व… pic.twitter.com/4KP3BKfe11

— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) November 14, 2024

Deeply moved by Waris’s humility and sincerity, the chief minister promised to fulfil his request. Additionally, Waris was honoured with the district’s first “Good Samaritan” award under a newly launched state scheme. Rajgarh Collector Dr Girish Kumar Mishra presented him with a cheque for Rs 5,000, praising his bravery and altruism.

“What Waris Khan has done exemplifies selflessness and humanity,” Dr Mishra had remarked, as per Clarion India. “His actions remind us that true courage does not require wealth or status, only a willingness to help others in their time of need.”

The recognition has not stopped there. Waris Khan’s story has inspired people across Madhya Pradesh, with media outlets, government officials, and private organisations stepping forward to celebrate his extraordinary act. The plumber-turned-hero has become a symbol of how ordinary individuals, through courage and compassion, can rise to extraordinary heights.

Waris Khan’s heroics are a powerful reminder that heroism is not confined to the privileged or the trained. It often emerges in moments of crisis, from people whose actions reflect the best of humanity. His story serves as an enduring message that kindness and bravery can transform lives, inspiring communities to come together and appreciate the everyday heroes among us.

In saving 7 lives that day, Waris not only prevented a tragedy but also rekindled hope and faith in the strength of the human spirit. His tale resonates as a beacon of what it means to be a true Good Samaritan, proving that courage and compassion can indeed make the world a better place.

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The post Heroes among us: Waris Khan’s rescue of 7 after road accident, Arif Bamane’s rescue after Neelkamal ferry accident appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The famous Sri Chammundeswari Temple, which is visited by many devotees from all over India, which recently saw a visit by Congress politician Rahul Gandhi’s part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, is set next to the Parayil Mosque. It was undergoing renovations after an idol reinstallation ceremony held last February. However, the temple committee began to deliberate how to display the name of the temple when they discovered that they had encountered a logistical challenge – a lack of space to put up a board.

It was at this point that the Parayil Masjid located nearby proposed that the temple can add their name to its own board placed nearby. The mosque  offered to share a portion of its entrance board, and the temple board accepted.

Today, the arch outside the mosque showcases both the names of the Parayil Moasjid as well as the Sri Chammundeswari Temple, Melekuttimoodu, according to a report by South First.

The secretary of the Parayil Masjid Mahal committee  Rasheed Chullimanoor told South First,  “We came to know about their difficulty. We discussed it and approached them with our idea. They happily accepted it. We are also happy that we could help our brothers. In a seemingly polarised world, if this unassuming archway offers a powerful message of unity and hope, we are delighted. If it resonates with the new generation, we are indebted to God.”

The announcement came after the Mahal committee decided to include the name, following which formal requests were exchanged in the second week of March.

When asked about the significance of this development, the president of the temple committee stated that it was an ordinary gesture that the current times had turned into something extraordinary, “These are times when some vested minds attempt to destroy the social fabric as they try to divide society on religious lines. We hope that this arch will act as a beacon of hope and harmony.”

Similarly, Punjab witnessed a heartening instance of communal harmony between Muslims and Sikhs. The now viral video from Malerkotla in Punjab captured a unique moment where a Sikh gurudwara offered its prayer space for namaz as a gesture of communal harmony. In the video, prayers and readings, the Path and Namaz, can be seen conducted simultaneously within the main hall of the Baba Gursevak Singh Gurudwara as thee holy month of Ramadan continues this March.

According to a report by the Times of India, this was an organised event held at the Gurudwara Baba Gursevak Singh and saw residents of the village come together to collectively participate in the event by engaging in prayers and readings across faiths.

Furthermore, showing a deep resolve to reduce religion based animosity, the Azaan (call to prayer) was also recited within the main hall, called the Darbar Sahib, of the Gurudwara Sahib, and there onwards was followed by the offering of Namaz by the Muslim community. Later, members of the Muslim community hosted an Iftar gathering in the Langar Hall of the Gurudwara, breaking their fast together with their Sikh and Hindu brethren. The event was hosted in a village which has a majority of Sikh families but also hosts a few Muslim families, a fact which makes the gesture even more significant and heart-warming. According to TOI, Dr Naseer, of the Sikh Muslim Sanjhan, said the community is very touched by the gesture by the villagers, ‘especially the Sikh brothers’ for having organised the iftar event.

One of the organisers, Jagtar Singh Guru, said that Punjab is a land of diversity as it hosted pirs and gurus, and  now is an example of communal harmony to the world.

Times of India similarly reported that not a few miles from Malerkotla, a similar iftar event had been organised by Sri Ram Mandir Committee on March 25.

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The post Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala to Malerkotla in Punjab, spontaneous community initiatives celebrate harmony & syncretism appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Shahi Imam stated, as per the report, “There is a gurdwara for Ravidas community already in the village and a new prayer hall is to be added. The gurdwara management committee thus invited me, preachers from Ravidas community, Nihang Singhs and even district health officer of Hoshiarpur for this foundation laying ceremony. So all of us laid the foundation stone one by one thus spreading the message of peace, communal harmony and brotherhood.”

West Bengal

After a Hindu man, Shyamapada Mondal, died, the Muslim residents of the village located in the Kothirampur area of West Bengal’s Mushidabad, came together to cremate the body of an elderly man. The man had passed away from a heart attack one morning. After his demise, his Muslim neighbours pitched in to help the family with the cremation process, according to The Observer Post.

Faced with the challenge of arranging a proper cremation amidst financial constraints and without relatives in the vicinity, the Muslim’s residents’ support to Mondal’s family was reportedly a source of comfort. To take charge of the funeral arrangements, rallying together to collect donations for the purpose. They organised the cremation ceremony, gathered funds and ensured the process was conducted with dignity and respect. Some of the names of those who made this happen were Aram Khan, Anirul Sheikh, Sakir Ali, and Kalam Sheikh, among several others. They tirelessly gathered contributions, and even made a makeshift funeral plank from bamboo to carry the Mondal’s body to the cremation ground.

Rebati Mondal, Mondal’s daughter, even expressed her thanks for the selfless support received from the Muslim community during their time of need. According to the report, she said, “I was worried about the cost of cremation. In this situation, the Muslims of the village came forward, taking care of all the responsibilities. Aram, Sakir, and Anirul went from house to house in the area, collecting donations. The Muslims in the village always support us and stand beside us. They come forward in times of danger. Without them, my father’s funeral would not have been complete today.”

Moreover, the Muslim community has also taken up the responsibilities to organise the upcoming Shradh ceremony for the family.

Lakshadweep

A heart-warming display of communal unity was made at the Hindu temple in Kavaratti, which is the capital of Lakshadweep. The temple serves as the only Hindu place of worship in the island. This year the temple was adorned with a beautifully crafted idol of Lord Vinayaka sculpted by a Muslim ex-serviceman, PR Cheriya Koya, according to a report in the Deccan Herald.

The temple priest expressed his gratitude for Koya’s contribution and said that the statue of Ganesh was very special.

Koya is a former art teacher and military veteran. He received a certificate in response to his donating the statue to the temple at Kavaratti by local authorities. However, as per the report, this isn’t the first instance of Koya making art to promote interfaith communal harmony. Previously too he crafted a statue of Lord Hanuman for a temple in his hometown of Androth.

Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu

Similarly, Tamil Nadu too witnessed a heartening display of communal harmony during the inauguration of Masjid e Elahi-Masjid in the Sivagangai district of the state. The inauguration saw a gathering of people from all religious communities in the area. The event was a vibrant colourful event which saw widespread participation and offered refreshments like cold brinks and biryani. There were welcoming banners adorning the main streets and bus stand, that invited people of all faiths to come join on the auspicious occasion, as per a report by the BBC Hindi.

In #TamilNadu‘s #Sivaganga, when a new mosque was inaugurated, people from all communities were invited to open the mosque. All of them visited the mosque. pic.twitter.com/Uclp9DCGGU

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) January 28, 2024

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The post Incidents of everyday harmony from Punjab to Lakshadweep Islands appeared first on SabrangIndia.

However, according to The Observer Post, the 58-year-old Jahanara Bibi made a lasting impact on the lives of several families after she became the first person in the region to donate organs after passing away. The decision has provided a new lease on life for four individuals at Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital. The medical team at SSKM further thanked Jahanara Bibi’s family for the generous donation. 

According to the report, Jahanara Bibi and her son were returning home on a bike a few days ago when she suffered a cerebral stroke and collapsed on the road. She was swiftly taken to Murshidabad Medical College Hospital and then she was later referred to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for advanced care. But despite undergoing extensive treatment at the trauma care centre, she was declared brain-dead on December 7. Mehbub Alam, Jahanara Bibi’s son, recounted the horrific incident explaining how his mother fell while riding the bike, leading to a cerebral stroke and yet despite the tireless efforts of doctors and the family, she could not be saved. 

Jahanara Kabir was also incidentally the sister of Humayun Kabir who is the MLA of Bharatpur Assembly in Murshidabad from the All India Trinamool Congress. Kabir stood by his sister’s side during her treatment till the very end. When the medical team suggested posthumous organ donation, realising further treatment was futile, the family had initially shown hesitation, but after persuasion, including from Jahanara’s brother, Kabir, they consented to the donation. 

Reflecting on the decision, Humayun Kabir stated, “Religion encourages donation, and I believe there’s no greater donation than posthumous organ donation. Convincing my sister’s family for organ donation was essential. Her organs have brought new life to four people.”

However, according to the report, the hospital tried its best to find a suitable recipient for Jahanara’s heart, but could not find a suitable recipient. Following this, Jahanara’s heart was sent to Hyderabad, where a 72-year-old woman underwent a successful heart transplant at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences. Furthermore, Jahanara’s liver too found a new life in the body of a 25-year-old woman at SSKM, and furthermore, her kidneys brought renewed hope to two young people, aged 21 and 35. Updates from the recipients of the organs reveals that the organs have been transferred successfully and the patients are responding with positive results. 

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Like any syncretic cooperative compass of festivity, the Durga-Pooja has also transformed over the years and has grown into more than a matter of faith! This year as earlier, Muslims, and other minority communities have actively participated and contributed to the merriments and heralded India’s unique communal congruence!        

 Deoria, Uttar Pradesh 

In the city of sugarcane farmers and sugar-mills, a sweet instance of communal brotherhood has overpowered the uprising hate-wave around the east of Uttar-Pradesh! There is a ritual of ‘Kanya-puja’ during Navratri and each year the religious heads or the committee organises a grand feast for small young girls who have not reached the stage of puberty! [Feminists have questioned this practice that is still observed in many parts, however.] Young girls are adorned, celebrated and worshipped in between the early days of Navratri! 

In the Bhujouli colony of district Deoria a Muslim man has presented an exquisite example of shared fraternity! Breaking the stereotypical structure, he has taken the charge of Kanya-pooja and offered scrumptious Thali & flamboyant Uphar (gifts) to 1500 girls.   

देवरिया- नवरात्रि पर हिंदू-मुस्लिम एकता की दिखी झलक,मुस्लिम युवक ने 1500 कन्याओं को कराया भोजन,जन सहयोग से सभी कन्याओं को गिफ्ट भी दिया,देवरिया के भुजौली कॉलोनी में हुआ कार्यक्रम.#Deoria pic.twitter.com/dCimLlGrq8

— भारत समाचार | Bharat Samachar (@bstvlive) October 23, 2023

This Muslim man has proved that the love and respect for the daughters must not be alienated on the name of religion! The daughters are ‘Lakshmi’ for the Hindu community and ‘Rehmat’ for the Muslim believers!

Mumbai, Maharashtra

By the same token, following the Gujarati tradition of vivacious, ecstatic and jovial Garba nights, the city of dreams has also witnessed several beautiful accounts of communal harmony! A post on the Instagram handle of singer Salim Merchant has widely grabbed the ogles of netizens!  In the posted video, three Muslim singers Salim-Merchant, Osman Mir and Aamir Mir are leading the stage while a throng of people is seen dancing and rejoicing on the beats of Maari Maavdi! 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Salim Merchant (@salimmerchant)

Bollywood and the creative arena are known to diminish borders of prejudice! Art has no religion and when the artist picks the path of faith, religion turns into a potion of love, empathy and concord!   

Dantewada, Chhattisgarh 

Dantewada, mostly identified as the tight-spot of political hurricanes, has also perceived a stunning example of religious synchronization!  According to the report of Speed News Desk a Muslim family has ignited seven lamps on the names of seven family-members inside the Maa Danteshawari temple. Sweety Alam, Manan Miraz Hussain, Zahida Khatun, Soham Kabir, Sheikh Sahid, Shakeel Ahmad and Salim Raza Usmani were going through a perilous phase of a serious disease when they promised to kindle Ghee-lamps. Later, they recovered and completed the promise during the blessed days of Navratri!   

Both religions have inspired the other one and the treasured devout values in order to hold the heirloom of syncretistic past!  This family is another example of the intertwined faith and mutual enlightening ethics!  

 Kolkata, West Bengal 

In the similar row the city of joy, Kolkata has presented a quite unique example of beading faith into a powerful tool to change social mathematics. As per a report of FII a Pujo Pandal is breaking the menstruation taboos via women-oriented themes and revolutionary sculptures. The Pujo is the most imperative festival of West Bengal and this initiative to establish a comforting positive atmosphere for the women is pathbreaking and truly inspirational! 

In our society, a ‘Ritumati’ woman is considered profane, someone who can’t touch the religious sculpture or participate in the ceremonies. There is a lot of social stigma and discernment around menstruation. This art of empowering women by combining the crucial question of exclusion with spirituality has set an astounding landmark of equality! 

New Delhi – The Urdu Ramayan 

The Jashn-e-Rekhta, an annual celebration of Urdu literature, has organised an ‘Urdu-Ramayan’ drama to celebrate the combined cultural bonds! The Hindu scriptures in Urdu language are not a new thing. In the previous records of this beautiful Indian language there exists a splendid history of unrestricted morals. 

This innovation must be seen as a modest and creative revolt against the pro-Hindutva politics of labelling the Urdu language. The easy to understand, friendly dialogues and the mesmeric tone of the Urdu Ram Kahani not only adds a magical charisma to the epic but also boons Urdu as a ‘Dilfareb Hindustani Zaban’ (Striking Indian Language).

Precisely, this year the Durga-Pooja celebrations have established the humane virtues over typecasts, politics of abhorrence and discrimination! These tales of harmony have unbolted the empathy, love & care among common people. It’s true that the wonder of this Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is founded on the evergreen paradigm of collective pain and happiness!  

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On the occasion of Eid, former Pakistani cricketer, Danish Kaneria put a post on his Twitter account, with the caption “Jai Shree Ram” while the photo that went along with it was “Eid Mubarak”. This tweet was celebrated by Indian Hindu nationalist on Twitter with comments like “Sabse bada bhakt Pakistan me hai (Biggest devotee (Hindutva) is in Pakistan)” and “proud of you”.

Quoting this tweet, a Sindhi Pakistani girl, apologised to all Muslims and said, “On Behalf of #PakistaniHindus, particularly #Hindus of #Sindh, I my sincere apologies to all the Muslims celebrating #Eidh, this fraud and corrupt snake is not a Hindu, he is only desperately appeasing #Hindutva terrorists in #India so that they offer him some job. #EidhMubarak”

The girl, Veemal Sindhu is a content creator with over 9,000 followers and as per her bio, a human rights activist, living in Canada,

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The post Pakistani Hindu girl apologises for cricketer’s “Jai Shree Ram” post on Eid appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This was during Ramzan in 2010. My maternal grandmother had to undergo knee replacement surgeries after losing her mobility due to a combination of severe arthritis, varicose veins and bad reaction to lifelong and daily use of steroids due to debilitating asthma (which took her eventually). Her surgery for each knee was around 3 months apart, so I used this opportunity to make a career shift and the break to be with her for her surgeries and after care. This was also the point of reckoning for my grandfather’s health which took a bad turn around the same time.

During one of her knee replacement surgeries in a hospital in Baroda, Gujarat, there was an urgent requirement for three units of blood. It was sometime in the middle of the night, I was alone there in the hospital. Her blood type being B negative, was rare and difficult to arrange, and the hospital washed off their hands saying they did not have the required backup and that they were trying with the blood banks but they did not have the blood group. I started making calls and sending messages to everyone I knew in baroda – friends, family, activists I knew and to contacts sent by my parents who have better networks there, also exploring again with the blood banks, but nothing was coming up. 

I was panicking by the time I got a call back from an activist friend a few hours later who told me that something was being arranged and that the blood donors would come in. In an hour, three men showed up at the hospital and enquired for me. They had come from Muslim dominated area of Tandalja. They were all observing roza and had woken up early for sehri. While we got speaking, one of them told me that he was enlisted as a blood donor but doesn’t get calls often because people won’t take Muslim blood in Baroda, he had asked if we would but was told it was not a problem so he came. I was too exhausted and couldn’t help but tear up out of gratitude and pain. 

We started exchanging stories of a different Baroda before 2002, before disturbed areas and segregation. The city of their memories and imagination, the one my parents romanticise from their student and movement days, what I reminisce of childhood summers and safety in my second home. At some point I was told it was good I lived in Bombay being HM – Hindu-Muslim, because here that can only mean riots. We imagined a different future, of peace and friendship and love (if only we knew better then) and laughed on some common gujju jokes. My granny met one of them later when he returned, blessed them all and cracked some more hilarious jokes on her surgery and leg in her unique style. We went to the canteen and broke fast together with fruits and hospital chai and biscuits too.

I have never felt the value of blood more than then. The pain of that which is shed out of hate and Gratitude for that which is given out of love. When my granny died quite suddenly after a bad spell of asthma on the new years eve of 1st January 2015, for her condolence meeting in Baroda a few days later, we had a blood donation camp along with body and eye donation (following her lead) with songs of love playing in the background. Each time I donate blood I feel happy remembering my friends from Tandalja and that hopeful day. But today I remembered this story while forwarding a few appeals for blood donation and also reading some hate speech calling for the blood of Muslims that has been doing the rounds. 

We are living in a world oscillating between warped priorities and stark realities. And in between a world blissfully and conveniently oblivious to both these worlds. I just hope more people actively choose love over hate. Love is the epidemic this world desperately needs. And one we don’t is Covid which really really needs to go now, it has weakened and destroyed just enough, even the strength to fight hate. It’s time for us to rebuild and heal, all of us who reject hate need to say it out loud in unison. 

#DonateBlood #RejectHate #loveistheanswer #ramzanmubarak

Rohit Prajapati-Trupti Shah-Amar Jesani-Vibhuti Patel from that time

(The author is a rights advocate, feminist and secretary of the Maharashtra Unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties-PUCL; the post is from her Facebook post dated April 13, 2023 and is being published with her permission with minor edits)

The post Red for blood, love and Ramzan appeared first on SabrangIndia.

So that future generations inherit a peaceful and harmonious society, it only takes a small number of people to put an end to hatred and rekindle human connections.

In the Parbhani area of Aurangabad, Maharashtra a Muslim family’s kind offer to let a five-day Hindu religious celebration be held on 60 acres of their property is gaining admiration. It is pertinent to be noted that this news of harmony comes from a place where the administration is usually constantly on guard because of Parbhani’s history of inter-communal violence. 

The Syed family offered to lend their land for a few days and harvested a standing crop overnight to make room for the local Hindus to celebrate their festival when they learned that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Jadhav was looking for an open, table land with an access road for organizing the Shivpuran Katha.

On January 15, the Shivpuran katha, or recitation of the ancient Shiva text, began on the Syed family’s property. The family is offering the land for free.

The family took the initiative to allow a Hindu religious gathering to take place on its property as a way to repay a similar favor the Hindus had rendered to the Muslims in the past. Only last month, Muslims and some of the Hindu brethren had donated their fields for the three-day retreat of Tablighi Jamaat Ijtema, which was attended by approximately three lakh people.

A 25-year-old member of the family, named Syed Shoaib, informed the media that sectarian divisiveness is the nation’s largest problem right now. He added that the goal of their action was to compassionately close the gap between adherents of different religions.

He had additionally stated that the land had ready-to-harvest moong lentils for the family’s consumption, not for sale. The locals even facilitated the family for this kind gesture.

He claimed that Parbhani had previously been the victim of inter-communal violence and that the purpose of this gesture was to reduce tensions between various groups.

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The post Everyday Harmony: Muslim family offers land for Shivpuran Katha in Maharashtra appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The new year has begun and the saga of religious harmony in the country continues. It was reported by a local citizen-managed social media Sikh group on Facebook that an old man passed away in Saidwani Khag village in Budgam, Kashmir. Reportedly, the day the man died, his body was guarded by and taken care of by the Muslims in the village until other members of the Sikh community and other family members could arrive there. Only two Sikh persons were living in the village and hence in a humanitarian gesture, the Muslim villagers took care of the deceased person until other Sikh members arrived and also took part in the last rites and cremation as per Sikh rituals.

The video may be viewed here: 

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The post J&K: Muslims take part in last rites of Sikh man in village appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On Sunday, a muslim man named Tipu Sultan saved the life of a young Hindu girl named Monali Kaushal in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. Kaushal had reportedly tried to commit suicide by jumping into the Shipra River.

According to local news reports, Tipu Sultan, who was among the people who witnessed the incident, asked passing trucks for a rope, and one trucker, Vinod Solanki, provided the necessary equipment. Tipu used the rope to lower himself into the river and reached Monali, who was still alive. He provided first aid and she was rushed to the hospital, where she is said to be stable.The reasons for Monali’s attempted suicide are currently unknown.

Tipu’s quick thinking and bravery likely saved Monali’s life, and his action is rightly being celebrated as an example of the best of humanity. In times of religious polarisation, the incident has highlighted the ability for people of different faiths to come together in times of crisis. It should also spark off a conversation about the importance of mental health and the need for individuals to reach out for help when needed.

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The post Everyday Harmony: Muslim man saves a Hindu girl’s life after she attempts suicide in Madhya Pradesh appeared first on SabrangIndia.