Muslims see Goalpara temple as symbol of hope

GUWAHATI: Villagers of the Chunari area in Goalpara district have a unique claim to fame. In a state where ethnic and communal clashes are frequent, they have set an example of harmony and brotherhood around a temple which has been run by Muslims for years.
The advisor of the temple committee, Abdul Qadir Khondker, collects donation for this one of a kind structure located in Joibhoom Kamakhya, some 160 km from here.
"We have been taking care of the Kamakhya temple for a long time. We don't have time to think who is a Hindu and who is a Muslim. For us, it's a place of worship with a legacy and we need to respect that," said Khondkar, who is also the headmaster of Joibhoom ME School.
Most of the people in this minority-dominated locality have been taking part in various activities related to the temple. They even celebrate Durga Puja and other festive occasions with joy and gaiety.
According to the locals, the temple was set up around 300 years ago when a zamidar named Prithi Narayan Choudhury donated a plot of land measuring 367 bighas. The temple, in its current form, occupies around 32 bighas. In 1983, during the Assam movement, most of the Hindu families who were residing in the locality left.
"They left us with a huge responsibility. Since then, we have been working in the temple. We are always looking forward to improving its facilities," Khondkar said, who recently completed some work on the structure with Rs 20 lakh collected as donation from well-wishers.
"We run the temple through collections. I wish this message of brotherhood and harmony is spread not just in the country, but across the globe," he smiled.