Hyderabad: Amidst current communal clashes happening across the nation, Hyderabad stands firm against the hate crime proving communities can coexist with harmony and respect, together fighting against the odds of hate and crime that is engulfing the nation.
According to a Deccan Chronicle report, the Akkanna Madanna temple in the Old City is an example of Hyderabad’s ‘Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb’ as well as the brotherhood, though belonging to a different religion.
The Bonalu is widely celebrated across the state in harmony so are the rest of the festivals. But this historic Akkanna Madanna Temple’s Bonalu celebrations are incomplete unless the temple committee makes an offering at a small dargah which is located in front this temple.
The temple has also been practicing painting this Dargah, lighting it with decorative lights other than offering a chadar every year during the 10-day Bonalu festival.
The temple committee’s joint secretary P. Kranti speaking about the Bonalu celebrations, said, “We give the dargah a coat of green paint when the temple is getting painted. During the 10-day Bonalu celebrations, we offer a chadar. The dargah is located exactly opposite the temple, so we take care of it. Occasionally, a Muslim woman comes and cleans up the place; rest of the time we do it ourselves.”
Adding that they don’t see the Dargah any less than their temple and that maintaining the cleanliness of the Dargah is equally important he says, the temple personnel maintains cleanliness of both. “They do it regularly without fail. It is as much of a devotional duty for them to clean the dargah as it is to clean the temple,” said Mr Kranti Kumar.
A few days ago, Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy offered a chadar at the Dargah on behalf of the temple committee.
Another member of the temple committee G. Niranjan speaks about another example of the exceptional communal harmony in the city saying “The elephant which carries the ‘ghatam’ is being provided by the Nizam Trust for several years. The elephant Rajani is also used for carrying the Bibi-ka-Alam”.