By Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net
Telangana: About a 15 kilometer drive inside the rough and narrow terrains from the Sangareddy to Narsapur road leads to Gundla Machnur village. The village connected through a single surface road from rest of the world still gives the vibes of a bygone era. Gundla Machnur is a small community consisting of about 200 homes, out of which 40 homes are of Muslims.
There is a single mosque in the village named Masjid-e-Bilal, locals claimed it to be a 70 years old, it was restored in the present concrete structure about 15 years back.
Around the mosque premises there is an intense activity underway. Small children are busy cleaning the mosque and washing dishes at wazu khana (ablution centre). In the open backyard of the mosque, in scorching heat youngsters have encircled the temporary-made fire-wood stove where biryani rice and curry is under preparation, the elderly are busy monitoring the cooking while sitting under a shade.
Junaid Ahmed, an 8 year old was busy washing the plates was quick to describe energetic activity as ‘Gou ki Iftar’ (village Iftar), and there cannot be any better apt description to it. Muslims of the entire small village was busy preparing and managing their annual get together feast.
For the past 36 years IMRC through its sister organization Sahayata Trust is organizing village Community Iftar program as part of its Ramadan Feeding Project. Every year IMRC organizes community Iftar programs in over 400 villages across 22 state provinces in India reaching out to close to 1 Lakh deserving persons. This year like every year Community Iftar program under Ramzan Feeding Project is underway across India with all its fervour, bringing the message of compassion the very essence of Ramadan close to the hearts of the hinterlands.
This village Iftar at Masjid-e-Bilal of Gundla Machnur village is one such event organized by the volunteers of Sahayata trust.
Mohammad Sohail, the Imam and Khateeb of the mosque said in this village Muslims live at far distances from the mosque; as such they bring small pieces of fruits and dates with them to the mosque and break their fast with others so not to miss the Maghrib Salah (Sunset prayer) which is immediately after the Iftar. But the Imam of the mosque also added that the Iftar organized by the Sahayata Trust is only one such occasion that food is being prepared in large quantity by all the villagers together and which provides a platform for mass gathering and strengthens the unity among Muslims in the local village.
Mohammad Shafeeq Alam, from Baghalpur, Bihar, is teaching in the village Madrasa for the past 15 years. He is the local volunteer for Sahayata Trust and he along with several other volunteers spread across different villages help organize Community Iftars in 28 poor villages in Sangareddy District. Mr. Alam said the local volunteers in coordination with Sahayata Trust administration prepare a calendar and allot each day to a village where Iftar is to be organized.
Shafeeq Alam said he receives excited phone calls from different villages in advance to know their Iftar date. He explained that, “For poor villagers the fact that someone has cared for their plateful meal and helped organized them an affectionate event during the holy month of Ramzan is a cause of utmost happiness.”
Mohammad Sohail, Imam of the mosque said Muslim families in the village are from economically depressed background, “Most of them support their families working as daily wage labourers in the neighbouring Pharmaceutical industries.”
Mohammad Ejaz a villager sitting quietly in the rows of rozedars (people who fasted) with folded hands said he has just returned after completing his shift in the Aurobindo Pharama Industry. Although he could not gave a helping hand in the Iftar preparation due to his job timing, but he was enthralled that like every year he got a chance to share the meal with the local community. He said, “Since the beginning of Ramzan I always look forward for this event as it brings us not just tasty food but a feeling of oneness.”
In the nearby village of Palpanoor, the signboard of Madrasa Faizul Quran Haleemia welcomes the traveller at the entrance of the sub road leading to the village. Palpanoor village is another sleepy village where Sahayata Trust has organized the Community Iftar through its local volunteers. The village has 70 houses and out of which four houses belong to Muslims. Madrasa Faizul Quran with 40 students, mostly from the neighbouring villages, act as the sole congregation point for the Muslims of Palpanoor village and three other neighbouring villages.
Hafiz Mohammad Shareef the local Sahayata Trust volunteer started the Residential Madrasa with an aim to restore the deserted mosque named Masjid-e-Muneer. Hafiz Mohammad Shareef said that Muslim men of the village are engaged in employment at faraway towns as such only women folk and minor children were left which led to slow desertion of the mosque. He said apart from the residential madrasa the Community Iftar program of Sahayata trust aided immensely in restoring the mosque and further for gaining the confidence of the locals.
As Iftar food preparation was underway Hafiz Mohammad Shareef pointed at room covered with pardah and said that local Muslim women of the village are busy inside preparing food and tea for the congregation. He said that apart from Madrasa students, local Muslims and even non-Muslims are also participating in the Iftar Program for many years now. He said many local non-Muslims also provide support to the Madrasa inspired by their gesture of breaking the bread in a single plate.
Meanwhile in the nearby Gundla Machnur village after completion of Maghrib prayers in Masjid-e-Bilal people organize themselves in opposite rows around the Dastarkhawn (Tablecloth) laid on the ground. Some who could not get a place stand for their turn patiently, as other finishing the meal gives way for the waiting. One thing peculiar can be observed in the whole spur of activity that the people who have finished their meal were waiting near by the wazu khana patiently for the last person in the flock to finish the meal. Shaikh Jahangir one of the person waiting after finishing his meal said that they have made it point since the Community Iftar event has started in their village that entire congregation will conclude only after the Ijtemai Dua (community prayer) by the Imam.
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