Malick Asghar Hashmi/New Delhi

About five decades ago, Hazra Bi’s family had bought 4. 36 acres of land in the Bina River area of Belaganj city of Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh. A corner of the land housed a small Hanuman temple and the other a dargah.

Over the years the temple management expanded its premises to accommodate the rush of worshippers. The Muslim ownership of the land on which Lord Hanuman's temple was located was never a cause of dispute of tension.

It so happened that the land was acquired by the government for developmental projects and the owner, Hazra Bi Mansuri, was a hefty compensation which she and her family donated to the temple and the dargah.

“It is not our nature to accept money from temples and dargah, so we handed over all the compensation to the temple committee.” advocate Aziz Khan Mansuri, husband of Hazra Bi told Awaz the Voice.

Mansuri's family has not only set an example of harmony but also won praise for its generosity and thoughtful gesture.

Advocate Aziz Khan Mansuri says, "When his wife Hazra Bi's family had bought this land, there was a Hanuman temple in one part of it and a dargah in another part. This Hanuman temple is very famous in the area and it is called Gokul Das Ki Tari. Locals have deep faith in the deity and it is frequented by a large number of devotees every day.”

He says, "It was a small temple. Later, the temple committee expanded it by adding another part of the land to its premises and gave it a grand look. Despite this, it was never a matter of dispute.”

However, in the present situation, it is not conducive to a temple being built on land owned by a Muslim or a mosque or dargah on land belonging to a Hindu, and yet not be a source of friction and dispute.

Gokuldas ki Tari remained an example of Hindu-Muslim harmony in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.

Advocate Aziz Khan Mansuri told Awaz-The Voice that after his land was acquired under the Bina River development project for the construction of the Madia Dam, he received compensation at the rate of four lakh rupees per acre.

The temple was built on 300 square feet of his land, for which he received compensation of Rs Rs 7.51 lakh, while for the land of the dargah, he received Rs 18,000.

Aziz Khan Mansuri says,"On September 18, I handed over the full compensation - Rs 7.51 lakh - to the temple committee in the presence of Belagnj SDM Saurabh Mishra with the condition that wherever Hanuman temple will be rebuilt, the money will be used on it. Similarly, I handed over Rs 18,000 to the Dargah Management Committee.”

Aziz Khan Mansuri says that the compensation money has been handed over to the temple committee in the form of a cheque along with a written agreement.

On the occasion of the handing over of the cheque, Aziz's family, the temple committee's priest Munna Yadav Kushwaha, secretary Om Prakash Gaur, and other members were present.

SDM Saurabh Mishra says, "This initiative of Aziz Khan's family is not only commendable but also gives courage to those who promote harmony in the society."

He said that in his presence, the temple committee has promised that wherever a Hanuman temple is built with the money given by Aziz Khan Mansuri, his name will be written on its inscription.

Aziz Khan Mansuri, 48, is an advocate by profession and also a well-off farmer. His wife Hajra Bi is a homemaker and their sons Mohammad Arsan Khan, 22, and Hayat Khan, 18 are studying.

On the reaction of Muslims to his gesture, Aziz Khan Mansuri said, "Many people of the community are praising his move, while some have objected to it."

He further says, "I don't care who says what. I have to face Allah. It is not in my nature to eat the money of temples and dargahs. I have handed over the money to the one to whom it belonged."

ALSO READ: UP and Bihar need to catch up with South and West: PMEAC report

On the Mansuri family's gesture, the secretary of the temple committee, Om Prakash Gaur, says, "Even though there is no dearth of people who spread hatred in the society, the harmony in our country and society is maintained only because of people like Aziz Khan Mansuri."