Muslim man spends Rs 40 lakh to build Krishna temple in Jharkhand’s Dumka

Ranchi: A Muslim man has spent Rs 40 lakh to build a Parthasarathi (Lord Krishna) temple in Ranishwar block of Jharkhand’s Dumka district, setting an example of communal harmony, and is now planning to go for Haj.

“I had resolved to build a temple and going for Haj is my duty. If Allah wills it, this duty will also be completed,” Naushad said.

When IANS asked Naushad how the idea of building a temple came to his mind, he recounted an interesting event.

Naushad said that it dates back to January 2019 when he visited West Bengal’s Mayapur, the birthplace of Nimai (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu), the pioneer of the Bhakti movement in the 16th century.

“On January 8, during my stay in the temple premises, I dreamt that a Nimai saint held my hand and said that he lives in my village Mahesh Bathan. He asked me to build a temple of lord Parthasarathi in my village,” Naushad shared.

After returning to his village on January 9, Naushad mentioned the dream to his family members and laid the foundation for the temple the very next day. After almost three years, the temple construction was completed and on February 14, the consecration of the temple was done with much pomp and show.

When asked why he did not take financial help and spent around Rs 35-Rs 40 lakh on the temple construction on his own, Naushad said: “With the grace of Allah, we are doing pretty well in business and possess abundant agricultural land. So, I decided that since it is my resolve why should I seek money from others.”

He said that his family members and society in general boosted his morale for the good deed.

Naushad is also the deputy chief of Ranishwar block.

Mahesh Bathan, where the idol of Parthasarathi, Lord Krishna as the charioteer of ‘partha’ (Arjuna) is installed in the temple, has an equal Hindu and Muslim population. People of both the communities here live with brotherhood. The village never saw any religious or communal dispute with people from both the communities participating in each others festivals.

Villagers say that earlier the area used to come under Hetampur Estate.

Around 300 years ago, Zamindar Puti Maharaj started the worship of Lord Krishna and every year a big fair was held on ‘Magh Poornima’. At that time, the area was known as Junglemahal. When the zamindari system was abolished, the fair was also not organised but its memory is still etched in the minds of people.

Carrying the tradition forward, Kadir Sheikh, Abul Sheikh, Liaqat Sheikh among others again restarted the fair. From that time, celebrations and festivities were held by installing the idol under a tent but now Naushad has built a temple here and Parthasarathi will permanently reside there.

On the consecration of the temple, 108 Brahmins from West Bengal thronged the place of worship. A procession was taken out with a band playing, havan was performed and the temple was inaugurated.

Thousands of people participated in the festivities.

Local journalist Gautam Chatterjee says: “Naushhad has become the brand ambassador of the Hindu-Muslim unity prevalent in the region.”

(IANS)