Navratri, namaz under one roof: Muslim family celebrating Durga Puja since 1995

Nagpur: ‘Maa ke kadmon mein jannat hai, goddess Durga is also like a mother to me’. Following this mantra in life, a Muslim Pathan family from Pension Nagar near Nagpur city police headquarters has been organising Navratri since the last 28 years. On one of the nine days, they also organize a Bhagwati Jagran, which is the highlight of the celebrations.“We have been organising Navratri festival at Pension Nagar Chowk since last 28 years,” said Rafique Khan Pathan. Rafique’s father Hafiz Khan Pathan started organising the festival in 1995. After his death, the son continued the legacy of communal harmony in this part of the city, said Sunil Shukla, a resident of Pension Nagar.The festival is celebrated through public donations. “But Hafiz Khan Pathan not only paid the lion’s share, he also took the lead in organizing the festivities,” Shukla told TOI.Though Muslims reside in large numbers in this part of the city, Pathan was influenced by Hindu traditions as their house was surrounded by many Hindus, especially north Indians. The area is dominated by employees of the police department.Hafiz’s widow, 58-year-old Rehana, says that initially he had faced severe criticism from within their community. “But with support from his five brothers and two sisters, my husband never looked back,” Rehana said. “When any person from his community used to oppose his involvement in Navratri festival, Hafiz Khan used to clarify ‘Maa ke kadmo mein jannat hai’. ‘Goddess Durga is also a mother to me, nothing wrong in performing puja’, used to be the words of Hafiz Khan,” said Hemant Gorle, a resident of the area. During Navratri, Pathan performs all the rituals required in the service of goddess Durga, right from the ritual of installing the idol to other rituals that last nine days. His involvement from worship to aarti and decoration of the pandal to distribution of prasad has won him accolades from locals, who say it is difficult to distinguish him from a Hindu devotee. The family also abstains from consuming non-vegetarian food during these nine days.The Pathan family started not only the Durga puja here, but Hafiz was the man behind starting a public Ganesh puja too in the locality, said Shukla. The family also started celebrating other festivals like Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 every year, and Eid-e-Milad. Hafiz was so influenced by India’s rich traditions, he was also behind starting the Chhath Puja on the banks of the Police Line lake.Pathan was a social worker and also contested corporation elections twice. He lost the elections, but won the hearts of almost all people living in this locality.