‘Know your India: Know Diversity’: An initiative of Bengal Peace Centre, Bhatpara; 18 December, 2022
Religious coexistence is the basic of our philosophy. In Bengal almost all religious and historical sites carry diversified anecdotes of multiculturalism. As a part of our continued program, ‘Know your India, Know Diversity’ we arrange an event to visit three historical and religio-cultural sites of Hooghly, West Bengal, India. Kids from different faiths, affected by communal violence took part. They enjoyed a lot and got the lesson of diversity.
‘Know your India: Know Diversity’
Hooghly, 18 December, 2022
Bengal Peace Centre is an initiation of AAMRA EK SACHETAN PRAYAS working for the victims of riot in Bhatpara, North 24 Paraganas. Since our inception, it has been our objective to know diversity and to promote multiculturalism in our society. We believe that India is a country with a basic unity, but of great variety in language, culture, custom, religion, tradition. To know your neighbour, you need to know their culture. You have to know the diversity of their architecture, food habits, clothes and greetings. This trip to Hooghly is the continuation of our programme, ‘Know your India: Know Diversity’.
Hooghly Imambara
Hooghly Imambara (1841) is a Shia Muslim congregation hall and mosque. It was founded by the great Bengali educationist Haji Muhammad Mahasin. He also established Hooghly Mahasain College and played a pivotal role in the great Bengal famine of 1770. This Imambara is famous for its vaunted clock and also Sun-clock. Young participants got knowhow from Debasish Paul about Sun-clock. He said that the sun-clock tells the time of day by the position of the shadow of some object exposed to the sun’s rays. As a philanthropist, Mahasin had done revolutionary work in contemporary Bengal; spread of education among the Muslim was his priority of work, Debasis Paul elaborated.
Hangseshwari Temple and Ananta Basudeb Temple
Hangseshwari temple (1802) is located in the industrial town of Bansberia, here deity is Kali according to Hindu mythology. The temple is renowned for its unique ratna architecture. Ananta Basudeb Temple (1679) is a temple of lord Krishna, this temple is noted for its exquisite terracotta works. Here terra cotta works depict different stories from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Local guide elaborates its history. Subha Protim mentioned the Terracotta Mosque of Hooghly at Adi Saptagram. Unique Terracotta pattern in the Temple and Mosque shows our eternal tradition of coexistence, he added.
Bandel Church
Bandel Church (1599) or Basilica of the Holy Rosary is one of the oldest Christian churches in Bengal. It stands as a memorial to the Portuguese settlement in Bengal. This Church became nice-looking for its clock tower, church cross and for the statue of the Virgin Mary. On a visit to Bandel shrine our youths saw popular Christian saints like Mother Teresa, Don Bosco, St Joseph, St Francis Xavier, St Ignatius of Layola, St Augustine. We got this history from a representative of Prior of Bandel Church. Children and youths on this trip took written notes from his conversation.
Feedbacks
Participants enjoyed it a lot. When the representative of the Bandel Church elaborated about relations of Abrahamic religions, they were writing in their diaries. The architecture of the temple and the sundial of the Imambara impressed them greatly. They were apparently excited to know about mosques with the same terracotta architecture located in other parts of Bengal.
Output
· For the youths like Ambar, Rehana, Ganesh, Azahar, Sanjana it seems to be an undiscovered world and knowledge. Educational reform, which was inspired by Hazi Muhammad Mohsin motivated them.
· They will share their experience with their neighbors, they said. Azahar and Ganesh will jointly take an initiative to arrange tours in the same sites by their clubs.
· For Tamanna, Saima it was the first time that they visited a temple. Sensuous sculptural exponent of this temple charmed them.
