Hindu Kapaleeshwarar Temple – the temple’s towers were once the tallest structures in one of the oldest cities in India

For one day in the year, the curve moderate environs of Brahmin-overwhelmed Mylapore in Madras plays host to a solitary wonder. The superb Kapaleeswarar sanctuary, holy to admirers of Lord Shiva becomes, on the tenth day of the Islamic month of Moharrum, the site of an exceptional and inspiring showcase of resilience and fraternity. Scores of Muslims combine upon the banks of the sanctuary’s tank to offer petitions, following a 200-year-old custom.

This bizarre and cheerful sight happened by and by last fortnight by the sanctuary constructed where, as per legend, Goddess Parvati in the appearance of a peacock, moved in romance of Lord Shiva. Mylapore, of which the sanctuary shapes the heart, signifies “where the peacock moved”. Muslims from different pieces of the city conveying panjas – addressing the group of the Prophet – for inundation in the tank, assemble there in the first part of the day.

This year, nonetheless, because of the uncommon dry spell in Tamil Nadu, there is no water in the tank. This doesn’t deflect the dedicated – they just carry water with them, sit on the means of the tank and ask. As the evening propels, their supplications match with the ringing of chimes in the sanctuary, as though to broadcast the solidarity of humankind.

Many are moved by the feeling of amicability and commitment there – even the Hindus. Says a depleted however persuaded Dharmarajan: “I’m a Hindu yet living among Muslims these most recent 30 years, the fasting and supplications at Moharrum some way or another established a profound connection with me. I, as well, begun fasting and asking. For the beyond 10 years, I have been bringing panja to Mylapore. Furthermore, same difference either way. I have confidence in God and God shows himself from various perspectives.”

Strict Harmony: In a contacting little service that mixes the two religions, Dharmarajan’s better half plays out the arati of the panja, and later the couple smear the consumed camphor on their brows. A skeptical young fellow, watching, says: “This is franticness.” “Yes,” answers Dharmarajan, “however it is a lovely frenzy.”

There is no set up account of how this exceptional act of Muslims supplicating at a Hindu sanctuary occurred. The sanctuary was implicit the mid seventeenth century, however sanctuary history doesn’t talk about the tremendous tank connecting it. As per N.S. Ramaswamy, a prominent expert on south Indian history and paleohistory, the sanctuary tank was inherent the eighteenth century, during the rule of Muhammad Ali, nawab of the Carnatic. Be that as it may, who assembled it isn’t known.

Clarifies Ramaswamy: “Certain individuals say that this land on which the tank stands was gifted by the nawab, who asked that the tank be permitted to be utilized by Muslims during Moharrum. One more story says the Hindus were so satisfied with the open minded strict perspectives on the Muslim ruler that they permitted utilization of the tank”.