In a powerful testament to India's tradition of interfaith unity, a 75-year-old Sikh woman has taken a remarkable step to foster communal harmony in her village. Bibi Rajinder Kaur has donated a piece of her own land for the construction of a mosque in Jakhwali, a village in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district. This act has galvanized the entire village, with Sikh and Hindu families joining hands to contribute financially to the project.
A Long-Felt Need Fulfilled
Jakhwali, a village situated approximately 55 kilometers from Chandigarh, is home to a diverse population of 400-500 Sikh families, 150 Hindu families, and around 100 Muslim families. While the village has a gurdwara and a Shiva temple, it notably lacked a mosque for its Muslim residents. For decades, the Muslim community had to travel to the neighboring village of Mullapur, about 2 kilometers away, to offer their Namaz prayers.
"Our Muslim friends here didn't have a mosque and had to go for namaz to the next village, so I thought of giving them 5 marlas of land so that they also have a place to pray," Bibi Rajinder Kaur explained to The Times of India. Her simple yet profound gesture involves donating approximately 1360 square feet of her family's land.
Family and Village Rally Behind the Cause
The initiative gained momentum when a solution at the panchayat level seemed elusive due to regulations preventing the use of government land for religious structures. Bibi Rajinder Kaur's family, after internal discussions, decided to offer their private land. Her grandson, Satnam Singh, detailed the thought process, stating they already had a field in an area with a temple and a gurdwara, making it an ideal, inclusive spot for a mosque.
The land was formally registered in the name of the local Muslim committee. Monu Singh, another grandson who serves as a village panchayat member, emphasized that the entire village, cutting across religious lines, is contributing to the construction fund, which has already gathered around Rs 3.5 lakh.
A Legacy of Shared Participation
This act is not an isolated event but part of a long-standing tradition in Jakhwali. Villagers recounted how Muslims and Sikhs had contributed to the construction of the Hindu temple, and similarly, all communities helped build the gurdwara. "Whenever there is a religious event, everyone contributes and participates," noted Satnam Singh, highlighting the brotherly coexistence.
Local BJP leader and former sarpanch Ajaib Singh echoed this sentiment, recalling the mutual support during past constructions. "This is how we live. We will all contribute till the last brick is laid and the mosque is complete," he affirmed. The village's Brahmin community member, Gursewak Kumar, called this unity a matter of pride.
Gratitude and Future Steps
The Muslim community has expressed deep gratitude for this historic gesture. Kala Khan, president of the mosque committee, thanked the donor family and the supportive Sikh and Hindu communities. He mentioned that construction work has begun and they are hopeful of completing the mosque by February next year.
Balbir Khan, a villager, shared the community's relief after struggling for 25-30 years to find suitable land. The foundation stone for the mosque was laid by Punjab Shahi Imam, Maulana Usman Ludhianvi, who praised Punjab for setting such exemplary standards of communal harmony.
Bibi Rajinder Kaur's act, supported by her village, stands as a beacon of hope and a practical model of secularism and mutual respect, reminding everyone that the spirit of giving truly transcends all boundaries.
