Just two days prior to Gauri-Ganesh festival, a man from the Muslim community is busy making preparations for the installation of an idol of Lord Ganesha, who is considered to be the destroyer of obstacles.
The 61-year-old man, T. Rahman, is a retired employee of the irrigation department and what he did will restore your faith in secularism in India.
Rahman became upset when someone stole the Ganesh idol from Chikkahole reservoir area. While talking to TOI, he said, “Last year, a few unidentified thieves stole the idol of Lord Ganesha from the Chikkahole project area park. I was upset and felt a strong need to build a new temple for the Lord. When the same thoughts continued in my dream, I decided to build a new temple.”
A resident of Chikkahole dam area where the temple building is in the process, Raghu Gowda said to TOI, “It’s a positive trend that we are willing to even build a place of worship for another community. We do not mind even visiting each other’s shrine. This is the true spirit of Indian culture.”
It is because of Rahman’s noble acts, the local residents of that area see him as a true champion of secularism. Earlier we have also seen how this Hindu man is looking after a Mosque he saved during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.
Even though Rahman wanted to open the temple during Gauri Ganesha festival but the ritualistic necessities delayed the process. He said that the idol was sculpted in Tamil Nadu and was ready to be installed but before that, it must be immersed in water for 6 days and in paddy for another six days. Further, Rahman also refused to comment on the cost involved in the process, and said, “It is Lord’s work. So, I will not share any details.“