Unique Participation of Hindus in Bokaro Muharram

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Two villages of Bokaro district in Jharkhand province of India has been giving lesson of religious tolerance at a time when mindless bloodshed has become synonymous to show of superiority. The Hindus participate is large number in the observance of Muharram in Barai and Nawadih villages every year with great devotion. The practice is 150-year-old and was started by a Brahmin landlord. The legacy is being carried out with escalation in terms of popularity with each successive year despite the fact that there is not a single Muslim family in the twin villages.

Pandit Mahto, a descendant of the landlord, said his is the fourth generation to follow the practice. The village has an Imambara that was built by the landlord.

“We take out Tazia procession in the village, besides performing other rituals. The villagers attend the function in large number every year,” said Pandit and narrated a long British-era story that explained about the origin of the unique practice.

“Our great grandfather was awarded death sentence by the Giridih Court in connection to a clash with the landlord of the neighboring estate over land dispute. His last wish to perform ‘Fatiha (prayer)’ in the name of Hazrat Imam Hussain was accepted by the court. After the prayer, when our great grandfather was being hanged, the rope tore. The rope tore thrice in three attempts. Later, he was released and he organized Fatiha on Muharram. Since then, we have been observing Muharram,” said Mahto.

Another villager in Giridih also witnesses a similar practice. More than 60 Hindu families living across the Annapurna Nagar locality of Nawadih village observed Muharram every year. They performed all the relevant rituals and took out procession lifting the Tazia on their shoulders with reverence in 2019.

According to locals, there is no Muslim family in the village or in the adjacent areas. The villagers, all belonging to the Hindu community, claimed they have been observing this day since the British period.
“Though we do not have clear idea about how and when Muharram was started by the Hindu families, but according to our knowledge, the entire village has been observing it for over a century,” revealed Raghunandan Yadav.

According to sources, around a hundred years ago, the village was struck by cholera and it was only after a renowned ‘Maulana(Religious preacher)’ arrived at the village and suggested villagers to observe Muharram and lift Tazia. Shortly afterwards the village got rid of the disease.

“The villagers followed the Maulana’s directions and it is said that the disease was alleviated within a fortnight. Since then the villagers have been observing this occasion,” a villager, Triveni Yadav said.

“The whole ritual has been very helpful in promoting communal harmony in the society. The practice of Hindu families observing Muharram is a big jolt to the communal forces that want to divide the society in the name of religion,” said former MLA and the senior political leader of the area Mr. Sarfaraz Ahmad.

Source : The Times of India