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| In Jammu, secularism at work | | | In the City of Temples, which is essentially a Hindi majority town in the state, these are the days of Iftaar parties thrown up for fasting Muslims. What could be an Iftaar party at a place that is called as City of Temples? Imaginations are many but an outsider can hardly make out an idea how Hindus and Muslims together hold the parties and then together jostle to celebrate the Ramzaan evenings. Perhaps this underlines and signifies secularism at work. This unique quality of Jammu and its people needs to be recognized, respected and replicated in other parts of country for peace, secularism and mutually shared values. Ramzaan month apart, day in and day out people pass by rare symbols of communal harmony that make this city special. They may overlook their immense significance, but they are striking examples for the rest of the nation to follow. Several mosques and temples of the city share common boundary walls, complimenting each others reverence. Jammu commonly owes its identity to the large number of temples which dot its landscape, but many know it for its finer virtues. Its large heartedness that saw it embrace all who sought abode in its folds, its strong belief in communal harmony that remained unraveled despite hard, repeated instigation and its traditional humility that can be attributed to its being blessed by Tawi, the illustrious daughter of Sun and Maa Kali of Bahu Fort, its local Deity. Of all these virtues that the city has been blessed with, its strong belief in communal harmony has been remarkable and has held people in good stead. There have been many attempts in the past to pit Hindus and Muslims against each other but people of Jammu have defied the fragmentations of religion and stood to face the appalling incidents of insanity together. While at many places in the country, a negligible spark is needed to flare up mighty flames of communal hatred, Jammu has exhibited to the nation how to stand united and defeat the nefarious designs of the divisive forces. Where else would one find a Krishan Janam Ashtami procession being greeted by flower petals by the people of the Muslim community or the Hindus outnumbering the Muslims in the Urs celebrations of the several Peers of the City? These incidents are not isolated, but have their routes deep and strong in the rich heritage of the city, whose very foundation was laid on the virtues of tolerance, love and harmony. These virtues are depicted at more than one place in the city though its face has undergone a complete transformation. Many old temples of the city have mosques in their immediate neighbourhoods, but the bells of the temples and the Azaans of the mosques resonate into the heavenly sounds, but never have their frequencies intersected each other to break the calms. The Mosque adjacent to ancient Mahkali Temple at Bahu Fort, and the Dargah next to Shiv Temple at Tawi bridge are the two striking examples of remarkable virtues of tolerance and harmony that the people of this historic city have stood and lived for. What kind of problem? questions a flower vendor who sells flowers to the devotees visiting both the temple and the Dargah at Tawi Bridge, when enquired if ever there has been a problem because of proximity. When there is a rush of namazis, many offer namaz just in front of the temple gate, but no one has ever objected or raised an eye brow. These unique symbols of Jammu need a national celebration. There have been some aberrations but then the majority rich in values have always exhibited courage to put the past behind and script a glorious future of secularism.
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