Muslims of Aligarh have participated in the preparations of Janamashtami indirectly on a large scale. The dresses of Krishna and Radha have been prepared and stitched by Muslims. Not only that the idols of Krishna and Radha have also been sculptured by them. Janamashtami festival is to be celebrated in more than one dozen temples of city including Tika Ram mandir, Achal and Khereshwar Dham .
But the contribution of Muslim craftsmen is much more in Krishna and Radha than Hindu devotees who worship Krishna and Radha . The shop of a Abid Naeem of Barahdwari market is the glaring example of this communal harmony.
He has left the government job for preparing impressive dresses of Krishna , Radha and other Hindu god and goddesses. His income on Diwali, and Janamashtami crosses than that of Hindu shopkeepers.
The dresses of Hindu god and goddess prepared by Abid Neem are not only being used locally in temples but also in Banke Bihari temple, Rang Mahal and Dwarkadheesh temples of Mathura and apart of that in many temples located in south India.
These Muslim families are contributing in strengthening the social fabric of country which has become an example.
Abid Naeem was an engineer and he left his job and now doing business of dresses of Hindu deities. He left the service as he was not able to accept bribes. Since last 35 years, Abid Naeem is engaged in trade and people from far flung areas like Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and even Dubai come to his shop for buying dresses of Laddu Gopal Das and other deities.
Abid Naeem is famous as Gatewale and he has inherited the business. His father Naeem Gatewale had set up the business. After graduating in engineering from AMU Naeem joined a service but he could not adjust himself in the environment of corruption and left the job. In 1978 he began looking after the business with his father. Soon his business galloped and people from Gorakhpur, Mumbai and even from foreign countries began to come to him for dresses of deities. now Abid Naeem and his Family are Busy in preparation of Janmastmi dress
Abid Naeem says that "the dresses for deities in Sidhpeeth Khaireshawar Dham to Hanuman Mandir of Ayodhya where idols of 65 deities are installed goes from here. According to him 70 percent temples of Aligarh like to have dresses from his shop. He says that due ot mercy of Laddu Gopal Das, I have gone so deep in this business that I feel no difficulty. My colour and design are liked by customers.
Salma , r/o Pathanan locality on upper kot is making dresses of all Hindu god and goddess since last 50 years which she sells to many out side companies . In fact her deity dresses are being exported to many foreign countries . Salma told " we believe in Islam and Hinduism alike. I am making dresses of many Hindu god and goddess including that of Krishna and Radha since 50 years . I labor hard in a holy way to give them attractive shapes and often glamour which costs from RS. 100 to Rs.01 lakh. In fact due to making the dresses of Krishan I myself feel that I have became Meera . We keep fast on Janamashtami day as Krishan is the bread giver to our family ."
More than 90% craftsmen of hindu gods and goddesses idols are Muslim . The brass and Zinc idols placed in many important temples of country have been die cased by Muslim craftsmen of Aligarh. Muslims have biggest notable contribution in brass and zinc idols established in temples across country . There are chances that there will be no temple in India which do not have an idol shaped by Muslim craftsmen of Aligarh.
In this respect , Faqruddin r/o Jaiganj who is making these idols since 25 years told " since last 25 years I am making idols of Hindu god and goddesses. We do not have in mint that they belong to Hinduism or any other religion as for me this is just a craft. "