MADURAI: While the recent developments on the scenic Thiruparankundram hills, a symbol of religious harmony, may have brought the town to a boil, the issue has gone off the boil for the common man TNIE spoke to, as they want things to return to normal.
A temple dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan) on the hilltop and a Sikandar Badusha Dargah on the hill makes the place an embodiment of religious harmony. While the dargah is near the Kasi Viswanathar temple on the same hill, sculptures of the Jains on the hills only add beauty to the place.
The Hindu and Muslim residents that TNIE spoke to said “everyone here lived together in perfect harmony”. They had never seen such negative developments in the past and “would want things to return to normal”.
S Pandieswari (42), who has pictures of both dargah and Hindu gods hung on the wall of her juice shop near the dargah, said her husband Siva (50) offers prayers at the dargah and they never had a bad experience with anyone. Backing up her statement, Siva said he had seen his father maintain close relations with the Muslims and play a key role in setting up a “maqbara” in their area in his childhood, which was a testimony to the harmony in the locality.
A Syed Ibrahmin (51), who runs a textile shop in the locality, said both Hindus and Muslims used to have feast together at the dargah. “There was mutual respect for each other. We gave each other the private space to worship. The issue should be sorted out and we want everything should become normal.”
However, an autorickshaw driver, R Chandran (70), who has been here for more than 20 years, said of late, tourists from other districts/states enquire before boarding the autorickshaw “if it was safe to travel in the locality”. This has never happened, he said, adding “earlier devotees wanted to visit both the temple and dargah, but now there is a change”.
But most of the residents said the issue would be resolved soon and they want to live in harmony.
Will suppress the evil forces
Pudukkottai : Those evil forces trying to stoke the Thiruparankundram fire in order to promote their own vested interests will be suppressed, said Minister for Law S Regupathy in Pudukkottai on Wednesday. Addressing media persons in Thirumayam, the minister further said, “Tamil Nadu is a land where Hindus and Muslims live together in harmony. We are confident that peace will be maintained, and the government will take the necessary measures towards upholding it.”