In a bid to spread a message of communal harmony, Muslim community in Jamalpur city has been gifting a silver chariot to the Lord Jagannath temple of Ahmedabad from past 20 years.
This year also, a silver chariot was gifted to the priest of the temple, ahead of the 142nd Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, which will commence on July 4 in Ahmedabad.
Rauf Bangali, the man, who gifted the silver chariot to the temple told , "We have been gifting a silver chariot since Godhra incident to spread communal harmony. We have been doing this for the past 20 years. We have given the silver chariot to Dilipdasji Maharaj."
Rauf believes that the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra or chariot festival is observed across the country to unite people and foster peace and harmony in the world.
After receiving the silver chariot by Muslim community, the head priest of the Ahmedabad Jagannath temple, Dilipdasji Maharaj told media, "Since ages, Rauf Bangali has been offering a silver chariot to the temple. I would like to thank the Muslim community for their efforts to spread communal harmony. I pray to God that communal harmony stays like this."
As part of Rath Yatra, the deities of Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra are taken out in a procession. Amidst religious rituals, dance and music, splendidly decorated rath or chariot with their idols are drawn by the devotees using ropes till the palace gate and then brought back to its starting point.
( With inputs from ANI )