In a first, iftar at Udupi Krishna Mutt

The ‘Souharda Koota’ was mooted by Vishwesha Tirtha Swami

June 25, 2017 12:11 am | Updated 12:27 am IST - Udupi

Reaching out:  Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt serving dates to Muslims  in Udupi on Saturday.

Reaching out: Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt serving dates to Muslims in Udupi on Saturday.

In a first in the long history of Udupi’s famed Krishna temple/mutt, a gathering of Muslims broke their Ramzan fast and participated in ‘Souharda Upahara Koota’ (harmony breakfast meet) at the Annabrahma Dining Hall in the temple complex here on Saturday.

The event was mooted by Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt, who is presently in his fifth Paryaya.

A gathering of Muslims broke their fast at 6.59 p.m. They were served banana, watermelon, apple, dates and cashewnut along with ‘kashaya’ made of black pepper, at the dinning hall.

Vishwesha Tirtha Swami himself served dates to those who had gathered to break their fast.

Id greetings

The seer greeted the Muslims on the eve of Id. Hindus and Muslims should both live together in harmony, he said.

“Muslims have shown lot of affection for me in Mangaluru, Kasaragod and Bhatkal. They have given their offering during the Paryaya festival,” he said.

“Karnataka, more specifically, the coastal region, should become a land of harmony. All are children of the same creator,” said the seer, who has been closely associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Thirty years ago, during his third Paryaya, he had organised a Hindu–Muslim Sammelan during the Id festival at Rajangana Hall here, the seer recalled.

Later, after breaking the fast, the Muslims offered prayers (namaz) on the second floor of the dinning hall building under the guidance of Maulana Innayatullah, Imam of Anjuman Masjid.

Earlier, Rahim Uchila, vice-president of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party Minority Morcha, said this was a momentous occasion.

M.A. Gafoor, chairman of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, said the message of peace and harmony, which began here, should spread throughout the world.

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