Muslim businessman gives shelter to Ayyappa devotees

• Sabarimala pilgrims stay at Abdul Rehman’s house

Ishwaramangala: When the pilgrims who were travelling via Ishwaramangala located along the Karnataka-Kerala border on their way to Sabarimala in Kerala requested for help, Abdul Rehman of Menal in Ishwaramangala provided assistance by giving them shelter at his home for two days and thereby has become a living evidence for communal harmony.

A decade ago, a controversy led to hatred between two groups here in Ishwaramangala and thus communal harmony was affected. It was also labeled as a very sensitive area. But since a few years, harmony has re-ignited. There has been no opportunity for any untoward incident. Besides, a Muslim businessman providing shelter to Sabarimala pilgrims at his own home has given another boost to harmony here.

Philanthropic

Abdul Rehman is known to try his best to help people in need. Being the director of Madhura International School at Menala and as a leader in social, educational and religious areas, he is involved in various groups and associations.

In the present day where a stranger is usually seen suspiciously, a person belonging to a different community gave his home as shelter to a group of people belonging to another community. He responded to our necessities. The long journey had exhausted us and we desperately needed rest. He helped us like God. It is because of such people, harmony is still in existence. May the good God do well to his family, said the Ayyappa devotees ecstatically.

Group from Telangana

There was no shelter and sanitation facility for close to 25 Ayyappa devotees who had started their journey from Rangareddy village in Telangana via the route of Bengaluru and visited Dharmasthala and many other religious places along their destination to Sabarimala. No matter how hard the Guru Swami of the devotees group tried to find a room or house for shelter, there were none available. This came to the notice of the Ishwaramangala businessman Abdul Rehman who without any second thoughts, not only provided his house as shelter to the worn out pilgrims, but also fulfilled all their necessities. The group which received Mr Rehman’s hospitality continued on with their journey to Sabarimala on Monday.

Article by Madhava Nayak K translated into English by Aaron Dmello