The communal camaraderie maintained by the Hindus and Muslims during the Durga Puja at Ghhatakula Chowk of Palasudha village under Garadapur block has set an example for others.
Here, both Hindus and Muslims exhibit a rare instance of amity and cooperation. As a display of respect and love for each other, the Muslims join hands with the Hindus to observe the annual festivity.
According to Palasudha Durga Puja Committee president Prafulla Kumar Singh, both the Hindu and Muslim members have been organising the Durga Puja in the village for the last one and a half decades. Late Golekha Singh had taken the initiative first in 2008 and ever since the puja has grown in glitz and glamour and grown as a grand annual festival for both the Hindus and Muslims.
Every year, before the puja, the Hindus and Muslims hold a meeting and chalk out plans for observing the event smoothly, said Prafulla Kumar Samal, a villager.
“As the last two years we failed to celebrate the festival due to the Covid restrictions, this year Durga Puja is loaded with a lot of excitements as multiple programmes are in the pipeline,” informed the members of Jay Maa Durga Puja Committee.
“We find nothing unusual in participating with our Hindu brethrens for the Durga Puja as we want to have communal harmony and brotherhood,” said Sheikh Rabo, a local.