When the entire India discussed Ayodhya Dispute, my eyes stuck on the story of rare camaraderie between Hindu – Muslim friends in Lucknow reported by Times of India.
65-year-old Izhar Siddiqui and Mohan Swarup Sharma are friends since childhood and are from Lucknow’s Naka Hindola area. They hold key positions in Sri Ramleela Raniganj Samiti, established by their ancestors in 1875. For the last 135 years, the samiti has been taking out ‘Ram Barat’ (marriage procession of lord Ram) and conducing Ram Leela every year. Izhar is associated with the samiti for over 20 years now. The Samiti acknowledges his services and dedication and even says ”they never felt that he is a Muslim”. Izhar has reasons for his association with Ramleela Samiti. According to him, ”the spiritual content of every religion is love and peace”.
The Newspaper gives more examples of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood in Lucknow. Click here to read this interesting story.
Shriram play by Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. A celebration of Ramleela before Dussehra which is on 21st October.
Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra enters its 51st year of the presentation of the story of ‘RAM. At the time when ‘RAM’ was first performed in 1957, there were practically no dancers in Delhi and had to be specially brought from Kolkatta and Kerala. Today it is a matter of pride that perhaps almost every school in Delhi – of which there are hundreds – have dance teachers who have performed in this production.