What riot, he’s busy making Lord’s garland

It's a tradition that not even the communal tension over the past four months has been able to stop. For the coming Jagannath rath yatra on ...

It’s a tradition that not even the communal tension over the past four months has been able to stop. For the coming Jagannath rath yatra on July 12, Muslim workers of Jamalpur have been busy making garlands of resham (silk) and moti (pearls).

Nasrulla Haja Abdul Mazid, who has been in this business for over 40 years now, says: ‘‘Our business booms during the rath yatra and Diwali. Both are Hindu festivals, but we do not make any discrimination. Most of my customers are also Hindus. And I am sure, like every year, they will definitely come to us. I have customers coming from as far as Rajkot, Amreli, Morbi and Surat.’’

It takes 10-15 days to make the moti haar (garlands of artificial pearls, rudraksha, tulsi). Mazid says this year he is especially making one such garland to wound around the rath. ‘‘It will look beautiful on the rath.’’

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Mazid even helps decorate the rath when it is brought to the Jamalpur area. ‘‘Hum bhed-bhaav mein yakeen nahin karte. Paise kamaane ke to kayee tareeke hote hain. Magar humein isi baat ka sukoon milta hai ki hamaari banayi hui cheez bhagwan ko chadti hai (We don’t believe in discrimination. Money can be earned through different means. What is satisfying is that something we make is offered to God).’’

Sheikh Ismail Mayudi also makes garlands for decoration. ‘‘I started working when I was eight. I have never even thought whether these garlands are bought by Hindus or by Muslims. For me, all customers are the same and if they are happy with my work, I am happy.’’ Mayudi adds with a hint of pride that he sells all his stock during the rath yatra.

His wife, Shehnazbanu, helps him. ‘‘When I came here, I did not know anything about making garlands. But now I try to put in my best. And I get my reward when they are used for decorating the rath,’’ she says.

Ask them if they are not scared there may be riots, and Amannaulah Abdul Latif, who has been making these garlands for the past 20 years, says: ‘‘So what? Just today I have got an order to make 12 dozen resham haars before the rath yatra. Riots cannot keep us from doing our work.’’

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