Baripada: Kohinoor Islam, a 74-year-old Muslim man of Tentulidinga village under Gangraj panchayat in Mayurbhanj district has proved that communal harmony can be established through love and love and compassion for people by transcending boundaries of faith .
Islam has led from the front in organising Durga Puja at Tentulidinga since 1986. The Durga Puja celebrations at Tentulidinga entered its 38th year this year.
Back in 1986, upon seeing women of the village travel to Baripada town just to take part in Durga Puja, he came up with the idea of starting the festival in their own village.
“It all started in 1986. I was 34-year-old youth then. I saw women of our village going all the way to Baripada to offer puja. I had come back after studying at Vani Vihar. I asked the village elders why can’t we start a puja here in our village. We had a meeting here under this tree. All agreed and asked me to take the lead. Since then I have been taking the lead in organising the puja. Now I am 74,” said Islam sharing the story behind Tentulidinga’s Durga Puja celebrations.
Since then, Islam is discharging the responsibility of Tentulidinga Durga Puja Committee head with around 500 members.
Islam supervises every detail of the Puja. He is not only known for his organisational skills, but he can also recite several sholakas and mantras at ease.
Taha Parveen and Joha, his two daughters, play a crucial role in providing financial support for the committee’s operations. Taha, an executive working with a US-based company in Pune, and her younger sister Joha, an Economics postgraduate, take immense pride in their father’s unwavering dedication over the past 37 years.
The best part of the celebration at Tentulidinga is people from different walks of life, despite belonging from other communities, provide financial support to the committee to facilitate its smooth running.
After the rituals are over, prasad is distributed to people of all communities living in the village.
