16-year-old Muslim girl carves out Ganesha idol in Chikkaballapur

CHIKKABALLAPUR: On the occasion of Ganesha Chathurthi, 16-year-old Nagma, a member of the Muslim community, decided to spread the message of communal harmony when she carved out a Ganesha idol, and carried it to the Sri Basaveshwara Temple in Devisettyhalli in Chikkaballapur. Villagers gathered in large numbers to offer special pujas to Nagma's clay idol.
The village boasts a population of around 800, of whom about a 100 belong to the Muslim community."Nagma's gesture has strengthened the bond between the Hindu and Muslim communities in the village, who have always lived in harmony," said Gangadhar, a prominent leader in the village.
He pointed out that, in Devisettyhalli, Hindus visited mosques and Muslims were often seen in attendance at temples. "We also participate in each other's festivals. In fact, Nagma's father, Moula visited Chamundi Temple in Mysuru last week and offered prayers, seeking rain," Gangadhar added.
Lauding Nagma's act, Chikkaballapur MLA K Sudhakar said, "It is a message to the entire society. I will personally meet and congratulate her on Thursday. A huge procession has been organised in the district to mark Ganesha Chathurthi and it will be led by the top leaders from the minority community." He went on to add that many programmes aimed at fostering communal harmony in the district were also in the pipeline.
Expressing her admiration for Nagma, deputy commissioner for Chikkaballapur, Dipti Adithya Kanade said, "It is heartening to see a teenage girl show the way for mankind. I will visit the village soon and ask Nagma to carry on the good work." Gram panchayat member and Moula's neighbour, Ramamurthy said, "I have known Nagma ever since she was a child. She could carve out various designs using clay as well as paper from a very young age."
The eldest of Moula's two children, Nagma is a third year mechanical engineering diploma student at CVV Campus, Chikkaballapur. Moula, who is a civil contractor, said, "Moulding designs using clay was one of her favourite hobbies as a child. Nagma is keen on taking up a craft and designer course after completing her diploma."
Speaking to TOI, Nagma said that the festive fervour on the eve of the Ganesha Chathurthi inspired her to carve out the idol. "I respect the sentiments of the Hindu community and I also visit various temples to offer prayers. I will carve out more Ganesha idols," she added.