Blurring religious lines: Muslim lawyer keeps ‘soul of Kashi’ alive

At a time when the communal divide is perceived to be widening, Noor Fatima, a Varanasi-based lawyer has breached the boundaries of religion to nourish the essence of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
Blurring religious lines: Muslim lawyer keeps ‘soul of Kashi’ alive

LUCKNOW: At a time when the communal divide is perceived to be widening, Noor Fatima, a Varanasi-based lawyer has breached the boundaries of religion to nourish the essence of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.‘Jalabhishek’ of Lord Shiva, immediately after the first namaz in the morning, has been part of Fatima’s life for years in Kashi since 2004. And, Mahashivaratri happens to be a celebration of reverence at her place.

“I have accepted the presence of Lord Shiva. He is in the soul of Kashi. He is a part of the ethos of this holy city,” said Fatima, a mother of two daughters. A profound sense of devoutness oozes as she says, “Na namaz aati hai, na vazu aata hai, sajda kar leta hoon jab samne tu aata hai (I may be unaware of religious rituals but I bow to you Almighty whenever I am reminded of you)”“I begin my day with the chant of Har Har Mahadev. That does not mean that I have left Islam,” Fatima said.

Hailing from Lucknow, Fatima shifted to Varanasi after marrying a railway official. “In 2004, I started having dreams in which I could see myself worshipping at a temple. Then we built our house in Varanasi and within a month of it, many of my neighbours died mysteriously. I lost my husband too,” she said. In her quest for solace, she built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com