Spreading The Message Of Communal Harmony, Bengali Family Worships Muslim Girl In Kumari Puja

Spreading the message of communal harmony, this Durga Puja, a four-year-old Muslim girl was worshipped as Kumari. Kumari is a ritual that takes place on Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of Durga Puja, where a girl is worshipped as a goddess.

This year in the Kumari Puja, the Duttas have done what a lot of people might hesitate to do. Fatima, daughter of a grocery store owner - Muhammad Tahir - near Fatehpur Sikri in Agra, and Bushra Bibi, was worshipped in the house of Dutta¡¯s of Baguiati in Kolkata¡¯s north east fringes.

Representational Image - AFP

Kamal Dutta, an engineer at Kamarhati municipality and his wife Moushumi have been organising Durga Puja since 2013.

"Since we started Durga puja, we have been performing Kumari puja also on Maha Ashtami every year. We first started with a Brahmin girl. But in subsequent years, we chose non-Brahmin girls, including a dalit, also as Kumari. This time, we thought of worshipping a Muslim girl," Dutta told IANS.

Dutta said that he discussed the idea with Muhammad Ibrahim, a civil contractor with Kamarhati municipality and a personal friend. "Ibrahim told me that his elder sister Bushra Bibi has four-year old daughter who would make a perfect Kumari. When he asked his elder sister, she readily agreed. And so here are we preparing for tomorrow (Sunday)," Dutta told IANS.

Representational Image - AFP

Dutta also said that it is nowhere written in the scriptures that a Kumari can¡¯t be a non-Brahmin. Dutta also said that he has not faced any opposition from his family or anyone else, yet. Ibrahim on the other hand said that he is honoured at Fatima been chosen as a Kumari.

"There are some strains between Hindus and Muslims in some areas of the country. But this development will give a message that members of the two communities want to live together in peace. We are eagerly looking forward to tomorrow (Sunday)," he said.