Mosques and temples in Malappuram Kerala India have a good relationship for a long time
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NEW DELHI – A mosque and two temples in Kerala’s Malappuram district have teamed up to help pay for the treatment of a teenage girl with cancer. What these priests did is an example of how humanity can come together to overcome man-made obstacles.
Together, the temple and mosque raised Rs 1.48 crore in just a few days, with contributions from people across the district and elsewhere in the state. The money will not only help cancer patient Hanna (18), but also people suffering from other diseases.
The Alukkal Juma Mosque, the Kuttipurathukavu Bhagavathy Temple and the Narasimha Moorthy Temple have co-existed for decades within a hundred meters of each other in the village of Kottakkal.
“About 10 days ago, we informed the temple committee about the fate of Syedalavi (rickshaw driver and father of Hanna) who had absolutely no way to provide medical care for his daughter,” said the imam of the mosque, Ismail Baqavi Kottakkal, quoted by The Telegraph of Tuesday 08/02/2022).
“Both temple committees immediately offered to help the family, setting an excellent example of communal harmony and brotherhood,” he explained.
The temples raised Rs.50,000 and Rs.27,000 from their own coffers, formed a joint committee with mosque authorities, and launched fundraising appeals for Hanna on various social media platforms.
Out of the money raised so far, through donations from members of all communities, Rs 70 lakh has been allocated for Hanna who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in nearby Kozhikode.
The remaining Rs 78 lakh were distributed on Monday (1/8/2022) to over 60 beneficiaries, 12 from villages and the rest from all identified states with the help of civil society organizations.
“The recipients of the monetary donations we made today are also chosen regardless of their religion or caste,” said Bhagavathy Temple Vice President Arumukan Naduvathu.
A CPM member, Arumukan said members of the Left Party, Congress, All India Muslim League and BJP came together to donate money and make this happen.
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