Muslims organise Durga Puja in Ranchi

RANCHI: A colony in Jharkhand's coal city of Dhanbad is a shining example of communal harmony with Muslims extending full support to organising the Durga puja.

The Bhuli colony in Dhanbad, about 240 km from Ranchi, celebrates the Durga puja festival with total fervour and merriment and the credit for this goes to the Muslim community.

According to local residents, the puja pandal is majestically decorated.

"Our aim is make it one of the best and grandly decorated pandals in the city. Durga Puja is a festival of victory of honesty and good over evil. This festival cannot be restricted to one particular community," said Mohammad Nausad, joint secretary of Sarvajanik Durga Puja Samiti (SDPS).

"People of our community actively participate in the festival. We help in the decoration of the pandal and organize other work for the puja," he added.

This year, the pandal replicates New Delhi's Lotus Temple.

"The Durga puja festival in Bhuli is the best example of secularism in India. We come out with secular slogans during festivals to strengthen communal harmony and the Muslims contribute in a big way," said SDPS president Prem Kumar.

Bhuli is a Muslim dominated colony and Hindus are in a minority there. Muslims celebrate the festival despite their religious reservation of idol festivals. A Muslim headed the puja samiti here for seven years 1988-1995.