It’s a temple town that echoes to the sound of bells and prayers. A sense of peace and co-existence fills its streets, a far cry from the hatred that has driven mob lynchings of Muslims and Dalits on various pretexts in some parts of the country.
The serene interiors of the Udupi Krishna Mutt call out to people of all communities and acting in the spirit of its long history of cordiality with Muslims, the seer of the Pejawar Adokshaja Mutt, Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji recently organised an 'iftar,' in its temple during the holy month of Ramzan. But his gesture to embrace people of another community, has kicked off a row and now Pramod Mutalik, head of the self proclaimed moral brigade, Sri Rama Sene, has planned to hold a protest to condemn it on July 2.
To the world outside, the swamiji may seem to have acted against the tenets of a Hindu religious centre, but in reality, the Udupi Krishna Mutt has always welcomed Muslims into its fold. In fact, three Muslim drivers have served the Pejawar Swamiji himself for about 15 years and around 650 Muslims are part of the Pejawar Blood team.
And should anyone read Madhva Vijaya, the biography of Sri Madhvacharya, the exponent of the Dwaita philosophy and founder of the Udupi Krishna Mutt, he will find a story about the great Acharya coming across an arrogant Muslim king on the banks of the River Ganga. It is said that he spoke to him with such great spiritual wisdom that at the end of it, the king respectfully made offerings to him.
And then there is the story of Vadiraja Swamiji, a great saint of Sode Mutt, who lived between 1480 and 1600, being offered gold by a Muslim king during his tour of North India as a mark of respect. It is said the swamiji brought the gold to Krishna Mutt and placing it below the ground, built the Subrahmanya Temple over it.
Many more stories centred around relations between Muslims and the Udupi Krishna Mutt abound in this temple city, which doesn't seem to have been taken aback by the swamiji's iftar. And with good reason. Hundreds of people here, including the orthodox Brahmins worship Bobbarya, a ‘daiva’ of Muslim origin. Scholars say Bobbarya was the son of Sulikallu Beary and Bibi Phatuma and was elevated to the status of daiva because of his good deeds,and is now worshiped everywhere in Udupi. His temple is located about 300 metres from the Udupi Krishna Mutt.
The people here have expectedly taken the Iftar in their stride, even if the event has left outsiders surprised and politicians from the BJP, aghast.
Going by Arif, one of the Pejawar seer's drivers, the Iftar was not even a public event. "It was by invitation for those Muslims who are his close associates and who have been involved in the Pejawar blood camp and Suhardha Samithi. He had called it 'Sauhardha Koota,' but as it was Ramzan, it was decided to call it Iftar," he explains.
The story goes that Lord Krishna's wife Rukmini worshipped an attractive idol of his which had a churning stick in one hand and rope in the other, at Dwaraka. Over the centuries, the idol was buried in the soil along the Dwaraka coast and was taken by merchants, who carried heaps of 'Chandana' as the holy soil is called, in their ship. But they were caught in a storm at Malpe, near Udupi and Sri Madvacharya is said to have helped them return home safely. The grateful merchants gave him the Chandana with the Krishna idol and it was installed in Udupi by the Acharya , who went on to found the Krishna Mutt.
‘It doesn’t take away my loyalties to my dharma’
The seer, Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji, himself points out that the Krishna Mutt feeds hundreds of people, including Muslims and Christians, every day.
“The only difference this time was that I invited the Muslims to have food during the Sauhardha Koota. I did this as they supported me during my Paryaya and strongly opposed some progressive organisations which decided to gherao the Mutt,” he says, asserting that he has made no break with the mutt's traditions as there has always been a close association between the Muslims and the Madhvas.
Recalling that Madhva Vijaya talks about Madhvacharya's cordial relations with a Muslim king, he asks, “If the Acharya had such good relations with Muslims, what's wrong in providing them some food?”
The swamiji also notes that Sri Raghavendra Swamiji of Mantralaya was provided land by a Muslim king, and Sathyabodha Swamiji of Savanoor was an advisor to a Muslim king.
“My great guru, Vishwajna Teertha went to the house of Haji Abdulla (the founder of Corporation Bank) before Paryayam and Abdullah made offerings to him. When we have such a relationship with Muslims, I have definitely not done anything to damage the mutt's traditions,” he says emphatically.
While maintaining that his gesture to Muslims does not take away from his loyalty to his dharma, he says he believes in tolerance and harmony in society.
“I have had always good relations with Muslims. They have invited me for programmes in mosques in places like Bhatkal, Gangavathi and Kasargod and honoured me. And so during my Paryaya, I decided to invite them for ‘sauhardha koota’. When I can go to their programmes and mosques, why can't I invite them here? There is no reason to make this an issue. Some have objected to them offering namaz here. But namaz is their prayer to God. There is no word in the namaz against us,” says the seer.
Muslims back this seer sans doubts
If there is opposition to him in some quarters, local Muslim leaders unhesitatingly back him on his gesture to their community. “When there is so much communal tension in society today, such a move is the need of the hour. We must appreciate the seer who has set an example for all. Udupi Mutt has always had cordial relations with Muslims and Christians. The Krishnapura Mutt provided land for a Church and Muslims offered Hore Kanike during the Paryaya. Society should appreciate the swamiji and not criticise him,” says Minority Development Corporation chairman, M.A. Gafoor.
“The swamiji has been helping the Muslim community without any publicity. Be it providing blood or electricity to houses, he has always helped needy Muslim families. He respects all communities,” adds Arif, revealing that he and his two brothers have been the Swamiji's drivers for 15 years.
“He has always respected us and takes us along to all the temples. I can confidently say that we have been to more temples than any ordinary Hindu has. I was allowed to sit near Swamiji when he taught Sanskrit scriptures to his pupils and he always lets me offer namaz when I need to,” Arif signs off with admiration and gratitude.
