UP: Hindu family holding ‘Majlis’ at home since Independence

Allahabad: A Hindu family in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh held ‘Majlis’ (Shia congregation) on the first 10 days of Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar. But this is not the first time they did it. They have been holding the Majlis for years to keep a promise made to a Muslim family at the time of Independence.

As reported by ToI, Anand Gupta has been organizing Majlis for the past 30 years. He told that they have been following this tradition to uphold the promise made to the Muslim owner of the house in Gud Mandi locality. The house was sold to Gupta’s grandfather Ram Murti Gupta by the Shia owners of the house before migrating to Pakistan at the time of partition.

Anand Gupta told that Hindu women and children of the locality regularly clean the place and attend the ‘Majlis’. They listen attentively to the story of Imam Husain’s martyrdom. The locality where the house is located is dominated by Hindu families.

Shia Muslims performs ‘azadari’ to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husain (raa) grandson of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). The devout Hindu family in the same way performs ‘azadari’ at the ‘imambara’ set up in the house.

Interestingly the head of the third generation of Gupta family doesn’t even remember the name of the Muslim family which migrated to Pakistan but says the locality – Mis Kasim ka ahaata – might be named after him.

The expenses of the 10-day Majlis held daily at Gupta’s house between 3 pm to 4 pm during the first 10 days of Muharram are borne by the family and devout of the locality. They distribute ‘tabarruk’ in the form of biscuits, chips, toffees etc.