Jalandhar: In Punjab’s Malerkotla district – which has a significant Muslim population – members of the community are being invited for Roza Iftar, the evening meal that is meant to break fast during Ramzan, by Hindu and Sikh neighbours.
The month-long Ramzan observance and fast-breaking festivities in Malerkotla are unique as they are not confined to the Muslim community. There is iftar in Hindu temples and Gurdwaras. Muslims too have been inviting Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and members of other religious communities to join them in special Ramzan prayers.
An erstwhile princely state, Malerkotla was founded by a ruler from present-day Afghanistan, Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan, in 1454. Malerkotla was upgraded to the 23rd district of Punjab by former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh in 2021.
Here, iftar and Ramzan prayers are being organised in gurdwaras almost every day. The president of the All India Brahmin Front, Mahant Swaroop Bihari Sharma, said they have been celebrating Roza Iftar and Eid here for several years.
“Neither have we ever cared for the communal ideology of politicians nor would we let them preach to us. We, the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians have been together for ages in Malerkotla. There are politicians who try to incite violence but no religion teaches hatred. Nobody wants to fight. I keep telling people that before they talk about religion, let us become humans first. We should celebrate all festivals together,” he said.
The Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Aqsa Mosque are situated adjacent to each other in the Hindu-majority Somsons Colony at Malerkotla. The temple and the mosque share a common wall, reflecting deep ties dating back to over three centuries, said locals.
Taking pride in Malerkotla’s rich culture, the chairman of the Shree Ram Mandir Committee at Ahmedgarh, Deepak Sharma, told The Wire, “We are hosting Roza Iftar at the Ram Mandir, Ahmedgarh, next week for which we have sent invitations to all our Muslim friends. Our committee members will also join Muslim brothers for Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. Earlier we used to give dry ration to financially weaker Muslim families for iftar but now we are organising special iftar programmes.”
Muslims offering Namaz and taking Iftar at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Malerkotla. Photo: By arrangement.
He said that Muslims have been taking part in Hindu festivals and celebrations like Kanjak Pujan and special prayers at Shri Naina Devi Temple. “Why should we stay away? In fact one of our temple priests Raju Sharma Pandit even organised iftar at his house last year,” he said.
Sharma noted that there are some who speak against Hindu-Muslim unity, “but we are not bothered.”
“Hindu-Muslim politics might work in Uttar Pradesh. Punjab is different from UP,” he added.
Malerkotla’s ties with Sri Guru Gobind Singh
Malerkotla’s rich past dates back to 1704, when the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh had waged a religious war against the forced conversion of non-Muslims on the orders of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind had captured the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, nine-year-old Zorawar Singh and seven-year-old Fateh Singh and ordered their executions.
The then Nawab of Malerkotla, Shah Mohammad Khan, despite being a supporter of Aurangzeb fought with Wazir Khan citing that the killing of children was against the tenets of Quran. The two children were, however, killed.
Later the Sikhs built Gurdwara Haa Da Naara in Malerkotla’ to honour the ‘rallying cry for justice’ raised by Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan. It is one the most revered and iconic places of worship not only for the Sikhs but Muslims, Hindus, and other communities as well.
Locals believe that Malerkotla is blessed by Guru Gobind Singh and Sher Mohammad Khan’s legacy and that is why it has been untouched by communal violence.
Naseer Khan of Sikh Muslim Sanjhan Foundation, Malerkotla receiving Iftar gifts from a Sikh community member. Photo: By arrangement.
Talking to The Wire, Adnan Ali Khan from Malerkotla’s royal family said that they were continuing the legacy of Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan. “Whether it is Gurdwara Haa Da Naara, where Gurbani Kirtan and Namaz are performed simultaneously during Ramzan or inviting Muslims for iftar, Malerkotla’s history is unique. Even during the Partition of 1947, Malerkotla remained untouched by religious hatred. We feel proud that the youngsters are also following suit,” he said.
Similarly, a prominent community leader Naseer Khan, who runs a communal harmony group, Sikh-Muslim Sanjhan Foundation in Malerkotla said that inclusive iftar invitations are not just confined to the urban areas.
“In the villages, iftar invitations were generally from the Sikh families including the gurdwara managements. Just recently, we went for iftar to Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Jainpur, where people from seven villages like Lohar Majra, Kheri Jattan, Amargarh, to name a few, were also present. Earlier we went to Kalain in Malerkotla and Kuthala villages in Sangrur district too. The list is long,” he said.
He shared that sometimes he and members of the Muslim community get so many invitations from in and around Malerkotla that they find it difficult to attend all of them.
Naseer proudly said that Hindus and Sikhs have even performed Namaz with them, a spectacle hard to find anywhere in the country. “Malerkotla has set a precedent in communal harmony in the country and we feel blessed,” he added.
Naseer lamented that such stories were not being covered by the media and that was the need of the hour.
Muslims from Malerkotla have joined the ongoing farmers’ protest at Shambu border as they did the farmers’ protest in 2020. They were also a presence when it came to relief efforts during the devastating Punjab floods of 2023 and with aid during the COVID pandemic when they donated 330 quintals of wheat for the Golden Temple langar in Amritsar.
A Sikh businessman, Amar Singh Sarao, who runs the Guru Nanak Mission Sewa Society at Ahmedgarh in Malerkotla said that people are being fooled in the name of religion and that is why he maintains an arm’s distance from politicians.
Interestingly, Amar Sarao is circle president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). “Every year we invite our Muslim brothers for iftar. This year too we are planning a good gathering,” he said.
