AGRA, India (RNS) — For 83-year-old Riyaz Ahmed Khan, the ivory-white Taj Mahal is greater than a logo of affection. The monument, to him, mirrors his village, Sadhan, positioned about 25 miles away.

“For generations, Hindus and Muslims have lived collectively in concord right here,” mentioned Khan, a training Muslim and a retired trainer of Sanskrit, the sacred language of Hinduism. “If the Taj is an ode to like, our village has many Taj Mahals in it.”

The Seventeenth-century marble mausoleum on the banks of the River Yamuna within the north Indian metropolis of Agra was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in loving reminiscence of his spouse, Mumtaz Mahal. And in Sadhan, unfold over greater than 70 acres in plain sight of the Taj Mahal, tolerance of various faiths has endured over centuries. Its 20,000 residents encompass Hindus and Muslims throughout caste traces, belonging to a farming neighborhood that tills lush fields of mustard and wheat.

Traditionally, residents have shared a perception in a standard ancestry that has prevented non secular fundamentalism from taking root within the village — whilst communal riots have engulfed different components of India. That uncommon communal concord has withstood an increase in polarization throughout the nation that has reached even close by villages not too long ago. 

Whereas Hindus comprise practically 75% of Sadhan’s inhabitants, it’s widespread to seek out Muslims with Hindu names within the village, Hindus with Muslim names, mixed-faith households and households that haven’t shunned interfaith unions. That tolerance is sort of exceptional within the nation, residents defined. 

“Individuals suppose Taj Mahal is the final word image of affection,” mentioned Kedar Singh, a former wrestler from the village. “However they need to see how we’ve made area for love in each type, together with our worship practices and interfaith love.”

Singh mentioned the love that has sure the residents collectively comes from their perception that non secular conversions over centuries are a pure phenomenon.

In response to oral custom, large-scale conversions to Islam occurred in Sadhan in the course of the reign of Aurangzeb, the final of the good Mughal emperors of India in the course of the Seventeenth century. Nonetheless, many residents returned to Hinduism within the early twentieth century throughout a pan-India motion to facilitate reconversion of Hindus who embraced different religions.

“Spiritual conversions and takeover of spiritual areas are inflicting societies to interrupt up in all places,” mentioned Taj Khan, a Hindu who mentioned he’s pleased with his Muslim title. “However what folks neglect within the course of is our shared humanity.”

In distinction, the city of Sambhal, 125 miles from Sadhan, has been witnessing common breakouts of violence between non secular communities since an area court docket ordered a survey of a 500-year-old mosque final November, after claims the mosque was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple allegedly demolished in the course of the Mughal interval.

Furthermore, Aurangzeb, who residents say initiated non secular conversions in Sadhan, has been one of many newest targets of Hindu extremists, who demand that his grave in western India’s Maharashtra state be demolished.

Over the past month significantly, communal tensions and rioting have seized western India, with some extremists arguing Aurangzeb was a spiritual zealot who discriminated towards Hindus and demolished their locations of worship.

“It’s so upsetting to see all of the polarization within the title of faith,” mentioned Jameel Jadon, Sadhan’s former village chief. “It runs opposite to what our forefathers wished since non secular variations by no means mattered to them.”

Jadon mentioned that regardless that a famous industrialist from Mumbai arrange a mustard-colored temple with a inexperienced spire within the village within the Nineteen Twenties to draw extra folks to return to the Hindu fold, it by no means flared communal tensions. For the reason that temple’s inauguration, Hindus have gathered in massive numbers to supply their prayers there, whereas Muslims have peacefully made their technique to the adjoining mosque to carry out namaz. Generally, they’ve even prayed collectively.

And through weddings and festivals, Sadhan residents participate in one another’s non secular and cultural ceremonies, learn the Quran and Gita in one another’s houses and talk about methods to resolve disputes amicably throughout village conferences.

“Religion can bind or break folks, so we strive to not damage anybody’s sentiments,” mentioned Shahid Pervez, a Muslim lawyer from Sadhan. “Besides male circumcision, halal and burial of the lifeless, most of our practices are indistinguishable from Hindus’.”

Though ladies have remained largely within the shadows within the village, they’ve additionally spoken out towards communal violence and focusing on of mixed-faith households.

“I used to be enraged by incidents just like the Babri mosque demolition, Bombay riots and Muzaffarnagar riots that fanned the flames of vote-bank politics,” mentioned Farzana Khan, a homemaker who’s a supporter of mixed-faith households in her village, referring to violent incidents in the previous few many years.

And when communal riots broke out within the neighboring cities of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Achhnera in 2017 over alleged slaughtering of a cow and accusations of a plot to incite Hindu-Muslim riots, Sadhan remained calm.

“We instructed those that brotherhood issues far more than slim id politics,” mentioned Shishya Pal Singh, a Hindu by religion whose household contains a number of members who observe Islam. “We tied sacred threads on the Fatehpur Sikri monument and led peace marches within the village to remind folks of our historical past.”

Some residents say native leaders lately have tried to create communal frenzies or spearhead Hindu conversion campaigns, promising financial positive aspects to draw folks to the divisive actions. Harish Rajput, an 18-year-old legislation scholar residing within the village, mentioned the conversion campaigns within the final decade or so have been geared primarily towards dividing communities and triggering violence. However in consequence, Rajput mentioned, a few of Sadhan’s youth have gotten extra militant.

“Spiritual nationalists backed by right-wing organizations need to widen their assist bases in our villages,” Rajput mentioned. “A few of our younger are attaching themselves to them and turning into extra aware of their non secular id.”

This yr on Holi — the Hindu competition of colours — some residents mentioned police personnel had been stationed within the village to provide the “notion” that there might be breakouts of intercommunal violence threatening peace and concord.

“That is what we have to forestall,” mentioned Ganesh, a 53-year-old Hindu priest who turned his modest ashram right into a “area of fluidity between Islam and Hinduism,” the place each a Muslim saint and the Hindu goddess Kali are worshipped. Ganesh doesn’t use a caste-based surname. 

Ganesh has been endeavor pilgrimages on foot to unfold communal concord within the village by reminding folks of India’s pluralistic traditions. Below his care, Muslims recite Vedic mantras whereas Hindus recite verses from the Quran, he mentioned.

“We have to protect our age-old love,” Khan mentioned. “Like how the Taj Mahal has seen love and hate over centuries, we are going to proceed on the trail of nonviolence and inclusion.”