At a time when distrust and fear of the other rule the minds and communal passions gain upper hand over harmony, this Muslim man from Malappuram in Kerala might look like an anachronism of sorts. He gave away a pond and a piece of land adjacent to it to a Shiva temple in the locality for free.
Nambiarthodi Ali, a resident of Kaalikavu in Malappuram, won many hearts by donating a part of his rubber estate and a pond to a temple committee of Kundada Maha Shiva Kshetram in Poroor Panchayat. The office bearers of the temple committee had approached Ali with an offer to buy a piece of his land.
Ali's community applauds him
However, the 45-year-old Ali refused to take the money he was offered for the land and said he was ready to give it for free. He didn't even ask the temple committee how much land they need. He graciously told them to take whatever they wanted. He also allowed them to use the pathway to the pond through his compound.
"The temple has not had a pond for years, making it difficult for devotees to perform their ablutions before visiting the sanctum. It is mandatory for temples to have water bodies in their premises for devotees to take a dip. The temple committee members approached me. I gave the land to them and didn't ask for money as it is for the temple and the people," The News Minute quoted Ali as saying.
In fact, Ali's community has hailed his act and supported him in the exemplary act.
Ali, a staunch believer in the fact that the divisions in society are irrelevant, said: "When I told the Usthad in my mosque that I am donating land to the temple, he said it is the best thing one can do. Even my family was very supportive of the idea. We believe that we are human beings first, and our religion comes later. Allah's land or Krishna's land..it is all the same to me," Ali added.
Temple authorities commend Ali
The members of the temple committee have hailed Ali's act by felicitating him during the Shivratri celebration on Tuesday.
