A Hindu temple in Kerala’s Malappuram district cut short a festival last week as a mark of respect to a Muslim neighbour who died on the night of February 11.
The Punnassery Bhagavathi temple at Beeranchira village in Malappuram – a Muslim-dominated district– was celebrating an annual festival at the temple when Cherattil Hyder, a 72-year-old man who lived in the vicinity died last Friday.
Temple authorities then decided to cancel its procession and other cultural events, which were to go on till Saturday. Instead, they only conducted limited rituals at the temple.
“Hyder was very close to us as well as the Hindu community in the village. Once a timber merchant, he lived just opposite to the temple. On Friday night, around 9pm, we were informed that Hyder died. The temple was then in the midst of celebrations after Covid-19 norms were eased… Several processions had been on their way to the temple. We suspended the processions,” temple committee vice-president M V Vasu said on Monday.
Local panchayat member P Musthafa said the decision of the temple was appreciated by all. “During the janaza (funeral prayer), the love of the temple office-bearers and the Hindu community towards the deceased was appreciated. Hyder was one of the oldest persons in the village,” he said.