Sikhs & Hindus Hold Iftar Events for Muslims in Malerkotla

In Malerkotla district of Panjab – which has 68.5% Muslim population – the month-long Ramzan observance and fast-breaking festivities are unique as they are not confined to the Muslim community. Members of the community are being invited by Hindu and Sikh neighbors for Roza Iftar, the evening meal that is meant to break fast during Ramzan. There is iftar in Hindu temples and Gurdwaras. Muslims too have been inviting Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians to join them in special Ramzan prayers. Malerkotla was founded by Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan in 1454. 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. The Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Aqsa Mosque are adjacent to each other and share a common wall, reflecting deep ties going back over three centuries. Malerkotla’s communal harmony dates back to 1704 when Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind arrested the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, nine-year-old Zorawar Singh and seven-year-old Fateh Singh and ordered their executions. The Nawab of Malerkotla, Shah Mohammad Khan, opposed Wazir Khan. Later, Sikhs built Gurdwara Haa Da Naara to honor his ‘rallying cry for justice.’ Adnan Ali Khan of Malerkotla’s royal family said, ‘Whether it is Gurdwara Haa Da Naara, where Gurbani Kirtan and Namaz are performed simultaneously during Ramzan or inviting Muslims for iftar, [our] history is unique. Even during the Partition of 1947, Malerkotla remained untouched by religious hatred. We feel proud the youngsters are also following suit.’ Communal harmony is also evident in Panjab in instances where Sikhs and Hindus have built Mosques for the 1.93% Muslim community members in their villages.