The Kerala story: In times of religious polarisation, an arch becomes a symbol of India’s communal harmony

The arch, erected by the residents of Melekuttimoodu in Venjaramoodu, has now become a viral sensation, capturing hearts and minds across the internet.

The secret to its newfound fame lies not in its grandeur, but in the message. Etched onto the arch’s surface, in a beautiful display of interfaith harmony, are the names of a revered Hindu temple and a mosque, located next to each other.

Netizens said at a time when attempts are made to sow discord between communities, the archway stands as a beacon of hope – a visual testament to interfaith cooperation.

The arch proclaims the names of the Sri Chammundeswari Temple, Melekuttimoodu, and Parayil Masjid, a reminder of how different faiths can share space peacefully, and the importance of respecting and celebrating humanity.

Also Read: Land of harmonious co-existence is also home to world’s third mosque

‘Nothing special, that’s how we are!’

Sasidharan, president of the Sri Chammundeswari Temple committee, is amused over the traction the arch has been receiving.

“We are getting a lot of inquiries as well as congratulatory messages. But I am a bit amused. For the residents of Melekuttimoodu this is not extraordinary,” an overwhelmed Sasidharan told South First.

People belonging to various religious and caste identities have been living in perfect harmony at Melekuttimoodu, he said. In the case of the temple and the mosque, an atmosphere of co-existence has existed since they were constructed.

“The temple and the mosque are 75 years old. We just followed the harmonious coexistence that we had witnessed during our childhood days. Both temple and mosque celebrate special days together,” Sasidharan added.

Also Read: Temple ritual started by Muslim munsiff divides legal fraternity 

‘Mahal committee mooted the idea’

The temple committee president did not hesitate to credit the mahal panel for the arch.

“The arch belongs to the mosque and earlier, it featured its name alone. Some time ago, the temple restoration works started. We carried out the idol reinstallation ceremony in February. It was then the idea of displaying the temple’s name was mooted,” he said

However, the plan was about to be shelved for the want of space.

“It was at this time that the mahal committee approached us with the idea of sharing space. We also liked it. The temple committee submitted a formal request to the mahal committee and they accepted it. The new arch was put up on the second week of March,” he said.

When asked if the arch would serve as a powerful image of unity for the future generation, the temple committee president said, “These are times when some vested minds attempt to destroy the social fabric as they try to divide society on religious lines. We hope that this arch will act as a beacon of hope and harmony.”

According to Rasheed Chullimanoor, secretary, of the Parayil Masjid Mahal committee, camaraderie prompted them to share the arch’s space with the temple.

“We came to know about their difficulty. We discussed it and approached them with our idea. They happily accepted it. We are also happy that we could help our brothers,” Rasheed told South First.

“In a seemingly polarised world, if this unassuming archway offers a powerful message of unity and hope, we are delighted. If it resonates with the new generation, we are indebted to God,” he added.

Also Read: The art of shaming a Hindu who refuses to be a majoritarian bully

Another image of hope

At the same time, along with the arch of Melekuttimoodu another similar one at Elavupalam near Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, is also doing the rounds.

At Palode, around 30 km from the state capital, an arch has been welcoming people to the Darul Islam Jamaath and Kallumala Thampuran Devi Temple at Elavupalam.

The arch has been in existence since 2011.

The arches, with white letters on saffron and green backgrounds, send out a profound message of unity in a polarised world.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).