KOTTAYAM: Normally echoing with the recitation of the Quran, the madrasa hall on Friday resonated with Hindu mantras chanted for a departed soul. At its centre lay the mortal remains of a Hindu woman lay, a ritualistic lamp casting its glow on the floor. In an increasingly fractured society, this was a rare and poignant display of communal harmony.
The Mecca Masjid at Kumaranalloor near Kottayam has upheld the message and value of religious harmony by offering its madrasa hall to place the mortal remains of Omana Rajendran, 62, who died at 7pm on Thursday night, and complete the final rites.
The family, residing in a rented house near the mosque, faced an emergency as they lacked road access to transport her body home.
Omana passed away after being admitted to a hospital for two weeks. The narrow road to her house could neither accommodate a stretcher nor a mobile freezer unit. As Omana’s husband Rajendran and daughter Jyothika were discussing about an alternative to initiate the funeral rituals, Mecca masjid committee office-bearers came forward and offered their madrasa hall.
When Rajendran accepted the offer, masjid committee president Muhammad Faisal put the matter before the committee members on their WhatsApp group.
The members agreed wholeheartedly and Omana’s body was brought to the madrasa hall for public homage by 10pm. The body remained there until Friday afternoon before being taken for cremation at the public crematorium in Muttambalam, Kottayam.
The masjid authorities arranged all facilities required, including those for offering prayers and chanting mantras for the departed soul. The committee members and Omana’s family members joined hands to clear the hall of chairs and tables to create space for the rituals.
According to Faisal, cooperation between people is of paramount importance irrespective of religions faith or affinity. “We consider it our duty to assist others, as taught by our sacred texts. Cooperation between people is essential for a society to move forward. However, we have lost it somewhere, which needs to be reestablished,” he said.
Faisal pointed out that the committee also gave its nod for Omana’s family members to do any ritual in the madrasa, as per their belief.
“Since it was a Friday, there were no classes for madrasa students. We would have suspended classes if their rituals extended into Saturday. We assured them that the space was theirs until they completed the rituals,” he added.
This symbol of religious harmony is not unprecedented in this community. The mosque officials also distribute drinking water to Hindu devotees every year during the Kumaranalloor temple festival.