Ganguly
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West Bengal: Muslim keeper of ancient temples
Kolkata: While the country is waiting for the Ayodhya verdict, a Muslim in West Bengal has made it his life's mission to protect a group of 30 medieval temples.
Yasin Pathan is at one of his beloved temples at Patra village in West Midnapore. A peon at a local school, he devoted all his spare time, since 1971, to protect this cluster of 34 temples that are at least 300-years-old.
Pathan says that most Hindus, Muslims and Adivasis of the village want him to work with the temples. However, there are some Hindu and Muslim fundamental elements who say leave the temples alone, go away. But I have not succumbed.
Pathan's unique mission earned him the President's Kabir Award for communal harmony in 1994. Little else, though. Today, he's been diagnosed with cardiac trouble but has no money for treatment.
But nothing can take away his sense of achievement. In 2003, at Pathan's persuasion, the Archeological Survey of India took over the temples and recently sanctioned Rs. four and a half crores for his beloved monuments.
Like everyone else, Yasin is waiting for the Ayodhya verdict with some trepidation and hopes that peace will prevail.
He says, "I request all Hindus and Muslim brothers to accept the verdict and to preserve the brotherhood that we have in India. There shouldn't be any trouble.
Kolkata: While the country is waiting for the Ayodhya verdict, a Muslim in West Bengal has made it his life's mission to protect a group of 30 medieval temples.
Yasin Pathan is at one of his beloved temples at Patra village in West Midnapore. A peon at a local school, he devoted all his spare time, since 1971, to protect this cluster of 34 temples that are at least 300-years-old.
Pathan says that most Hindus, Muslims and Adivasis of the village want him to work with the temples. However, there are some Hindu and Muslim fundamental elements who say leave the temples alone, go away. But I have not succumbed.
Pathan's unique mission earned him the President's Kabir Award for communal harmony in 1994. Little else, though. Today, he's been diagnosed with cardiac trouble but has no money for treatment.
But nothing can take away his sense of achievement. In 2003, at Pathan's persuasion, the Archeological Survey of India took over the temples and recently sanctioned Rs. four and a half crores for his beloved monuments.
Like everyone else, Yasin is waiting for the Ayodhya verdict with some trepidation and hopes that peace will prevail.
He says, "I request all Hindus and Muslim brothers to accept the verdict and to preserve the brotherhood that we have in India. There shouldn't be any trouble.