Hindu-Muslim harmony marks Maramma temple festival

Chamarajanagar: At a time when the hijab issue is threatening to leave a gulf between Hindus and Muslims in the State, the people of the two communities in this village on the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have set an example for communal harmony by celebrating Maramma festival together.

Talavadi, a village in Tamil Nadu and located clos to Chamarajanagar border, is also famous as the birth place of Kannada matinee idol late Dr Rajkumar. Though it is in Tamil Nadu, majority of the villagers are Kannadigas.

Only a wall separates the Maramma temple and a mosque, in the heart of the village. Villagers celebrate Maramma festival in March, in which both communities participate enthusiastically.

Maramma Kondotsava (a ritual involving walking barefoot on burning coals by devotees of the deity) is held in front of the mosque. Four decades ago there was a clash between two communities for petty reason but the elders resolved it and they have been living

harmoniously ever since.

Both the temple and the mosque are said to have been built during reign of Tipu Sultan.

A day before the Kondotsava, villagers organise Maramma Devi utsava in which Chandi mela, Gorava dance, Veeragase, Beeredevara dance are performed by folk artists. During the annual fair, nobody, including Muslims, as a mark of respect for the sentiments of Hindus, abstain from eating non-vegetarian food. Even dead bodies are not allowed to be brought into the village. The annual fair is being celebrated by people of all castes with each of them taking various responsibilities. The village has a population of Brahmins, Lingayats, Halumathas, Upparas, Nayakas and SCs.

Kondotsava is organised in a systematic manner as 20-30 devotees vying to walk the pit filled with hot coals were injured. To regulate the ritual, now only one at a time is allowed to walk on burning coals.