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There is a temple of Lord Shiva located in the in Bambhrauaa village of Rampur district, which is about 270 Km from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. The temple called Pataleshwar temple allows the Muslims to take part in certain rituals as well as donate for community feasts during every festival. Muslims constitute almost 95% of the 3,500 residents of the village.
Built on the land that was donated by Raza Ali Khan, the ruler of Rampur in the days of the British Raj, both Hindus and Muslims helped to construct the temple.
"We feel proud and privileged to have a temple that spreads the message of communal harmony and brotherhood," said Habeeb Ahmad, 60, a farmers' leader and resident of the village..
Muslims take part in the 'arti', a sacred ritual, at the temple. They also queue up with their Hindu brethren for the consecrated 'prasad'.
"This temple truly reflects the Ganga-Yamuna tehzeeb (etiquette) in today's time in real sense," said Guddu Khan, who runs a medical store in the Panwariya area of the village.
The temple houses a four-foot idol of Lord Shiva and a Shivling icon. Every morning, under the guidance of a group of priests, Muslims and Hindus clean the temple together. Only then are the daily offerings of milk, curd and honey made, the residents said.
On nearly every Hindu religious festival, Muslims raise funds to organise 'bhandaras' (feasts) for the poor.
"Muslims voluntarily contribute for bhandaras. While some donate cash, others prefer to provide grains, fruits and vegetables," said Raees Ahmad, another village resident.
The community feast organised just in front of the temple is not only attended by local people, but people from nearby villages also converge irrespective of their religion, and eat together, he added.
