300-yr practice: Hindus hold ritual to observe Muharram

Tiruchy: In a perfect show of religious harmony, Hindus in a village in Thanjavur observed Muharram and performed a fire walk ritual as a veneration to the ‘Allah Samy’ on Tuesday.

Hindu residents from Kasavalavanadu Puthur village near Thanjavur are in the practice of observing Muharram for the past 300 years. As a part of the observance, these residents used to observe fasting for 10 days and take the ‘Allah Samy’ image to the Chavadi at Sengarai by procession and perform special poojas by placing the Samy at a pandal. They also recite Fatiha to commemorate the festival.

Monday night, a procession of a metal hand (presumably of Allah Samy according to villagers) was taken out jointly by local Hindus and Muslims as a form of veedhi ula and each household welcomed the procession and offered panagam, rice flakes, coconut, fruits and halwa and each family offered lemon garland and silk cloth too.

“We have been observing Muharram for the past 300 years. According to our elders, villagers got a metal hand while digging a tank at Puthur village and they considered it to be the ‘hand of Allah’ and then on they started observing the day,” said residents.

On Tuesday morning, the villagers participated in a fire-walk ritual to fulfil their vows. Many women too followed the men in joining the fire-walk ritual. In recent days, Muslims from adjacent villages are also joining Kasavalavanadu Puthur Hindus in observing Muharram.