UNITY IN DIVERSITY MAKES IT MARK AMONG HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN DOLA POORNIMA ( HOLI) IN ODISHA

UNITY IN DIVERSITY MAKES IT MARK AMONG HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN DOLA POORNIMA ( HOLI) IN ODISHA 9/03/2012

ODISHA NEWS:

Although there is news communal disharmony in Ayodhya, Mathura and Banaras between Hindu and Muslim, when both the religious communities are struggling since years over sacred space, but elsewhere there is space sacred to two or more religions.

It was a perfect picture of religious harmony on Dola festival [Hindus festival of color] hundreds of Muslim devotees of Phalirtakia village under Jagatsinghpur district have been celebrating Dola for past 300 years along with the Hindus of the locality with traditional enthusiasm and fervor and performing it without halts till date , Muslims have no qualms about celebrating Hindu festival.

Several Burqua clad women and men wearing namaz-ki-topi [Skull Cap] with children in tow are waited huge numbers to offer prayers to the Hindu deity ‘Gateswar’ who visits Muslim Dargha named as Satya Pira Pitha during Dola festival, they believe that observing Dola festival is an age old custom and tradition that reflects communal harmony of the locality, while scores of Muslims from near by villages are flocked to witness this one day occasion observes every year.

The rich local custom says that during Dola festival ‘the Hindu deity of locality Gateswar first visits Satya Pira Pitha early on the start of Dola festival , The Muslims of the Phakirtakia village offer Bhoga, coconut, flower, incense stick and dry colour to the visiting deity and greet Hindu priests and people accompanying God, in exchange the Hindu priests give them Bhoga and smear colour [ Abhira] at the graveyard and halts few minutes during that time Muslims recite few Sura’s of holy Koran on turn Hindus chant few Vedic Mantras, the age old rituals are locally known as Hari Hara Bheta.

A Chadar is being offered to the Satya Pira by Hindus where as the Muslims offer Dhoti and napkin to the visiting deity then both the communities smear Abhira each others then completing these hereditary rituals at Satya Pira Pitha Hindu God move for annual journey Bhoga Khia in surrounding villages.

Haji Saukat Ali, a retired school head master of Phakirtakia village says that his family has been observing Dola at Satyapira Pitha as genetic practice, whether it is Allah or Hindu God there is only one supreme power, we strongly believe that peace and prosperity will prevail including communal harmony among both communities by observing Hindu feisty Dola, he points out.

Mulla Bukshy Ali from Satya Pira pitha informs that the Sayeed family of Phakirtakia village has a long history observing Dola, legend says that the 16the century Budden Saheb a Muslim prophet had visited the village and lived there till his death, after he breathed his graveyard was named as Satya Pira Pitha that exists today. Buden Saheb during his alive period was started the precedent of observance of Dola festival at Pitha , that time during Dola festival Hindu Gods were visited Pitha , Saheb was offering them Bhoga, Abhira to visiting god and in exchange was receiving the same from Hindu counterparts after his demise the Sayed Families of locality has shouldered the responsibility and performing Dola festival at Pitha as traditional manner, Bukshy informs.
Abdul Rehaman an octogenarian Muslim villager says that it is not only speaking communal harmony and shows amity between Hindu and Muslim communities so also exhibiting relationship between Hindu God and Muslim prophet in old times, he adds.


Usually Muslim people put reluctance worshipping Hindu God and taking Bhoga, but it is quite difference in Satya Pira Pitha where Muslims take part in Dola festival breaking their perpetual practice, so Satya Pira Pitha finds a unique place showing brotherhood between Hindu and Muslim, reveals Gouranga Pait, a local Hindu priest.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA