At a time when religious intolerance and hatred for other religion is on the increase,there is a welcome of change in this phenomenon. It only shows that there are quite a few persons to whom national integration and religious tolerance is of utmost importance.
Usually its 800-odd Muslim residents offer namaaz at the town’s Gandhi Maidan, a public ground.
Due to heavy downpour in Uttarakhand, the Gandhi Maidan turned into a marshy ground.
Muslims used to offer Eid prayer every year there. This year, it almost became impossible for the Muslims to offer Eid prayer at that place. There is no mosque in Joshimath area of Uttarkhand.
Sardar Buta Singh, head priest of Gurudwara came to the rescue of the local Muslims. Exhibiting the high degree of religious tolerance,he invited the local Muslims to offer Eid prayer in Gurudwara.
It may be noted that Islam and Sikhism have many common points to share.
The religious treatise of the Sikhs, “Granth Saheb” contains many couplets of Hazrath Baba Fareeduddin, ganj-e-Shakar.