KOLKATA: At a time when communal violence has overtaken Bangladesh, leading to the death of at least 11 people, a village in Bengal’s Burdwan district has set an example of communal harmony during Lakshmi Puja.
for the Lakshmi Puja
“We organise cultural events and sit together for lunch and dinner during these four days of the Lakshmi festival. This is a tradition of our village where bonding between us is the priority, not an individual’s religious belief,” said Asmat Ali of Dharmadanga.
Asmat’s neighbour Bidyut Das said a major chunk of the subscription for the Lakshmi Puja comes from the Muslim participants. “This Puja has always been the main festival of our village inhabited mainly by farmers. We join hands to celebrate the festival and spend time together during these four days. We respect each other’s religious beliefs,’’ said Das.
“In any crisis, we come forward to help each other. We are not bothered about the tricks played by political parties. What we know is that bonding between people is the most important thing that can help us overcome any tough time,’’ said Saukat Mollah.
