Kolkata: December 6 trip to mosque spreads message of peace, harmony – Times of India

KOLKATA: As the sounds of evening prayer faded out, citizens gathered at the Jinn Masjid at Topsia and discussed harmony among communities the city has basked in over decades. They shared cups of tea and ideas that will further strengthen the ties that have inspired communities to stay together.
On December 6, the day on which demolition happened in Ayodhya 29 years ago, different community members gathered to discuss the issues that stir disharmony. A group of Muslim youths had organized tours to mosques in the city on Monday to spread the awareness among people about the necessity of an inclusive spirit in the country. They organized two such tours in Kolkata — at Topsia and Kidderpore. In West Bengal they initiated such programmes in a total of 140 mosques.
“I have lived in Metiabruz since childhood. I have seen Hindu women standing in front of the mosques with a glass of water in their hands and waiting for the namazis to come out. They believe that when namazis blow air in the water, that becomes purer and is good for health. This has been the culture of Bengal over centuries,” said Kushal Debnath who attended the tour to Jinn Mosque.
“Such efforts are useful to foster community ties especially at a time when political forces are polarizing communities. Such differences wither away when people from different communities work together on a day-to-day basis. Their everyday struggle brings everyone together,” said Kasba resident Sarmistha Roy.
“There are non-Muslim population who stay near the mosques. They have different questions in their minds which they do not get a chance to ask. Recent socio-political developments in the city has given rise to more such questions,” said Shadab Masum, organizer of the programme.
“We neither wanted to commemorate December 6 as a Black Day nor a Vijay Divas. We wanted to create a narrative to term this day as a communal harmony day,” Masum said.