Amna Farooq/New Delhi 

"There is hatred around; only love can combat it. We have to respect each other, and each other's religion, festivals, and traditions," says Neha Bharti who has just arrived with two women carrying cartons laden with food to the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi's old city for distribution among Muslims who are about to break their fast during Ramzan.

Bharti, her sister-in-law Ranita Singh Bharti, and her friend Ranish Noor  have covered their heads to enter the mosque premises. They place the cartons on a platform at the peripheries of the monument. In the backdrop of the setting sun, the compound is filled with hundreds of Muslims - young, old, children, women, and families. They have spread mats and opened their food packets to break their fast.

Bharti and her companions neatly place the food platters on the sandstone platform. A familiar face during Ramzan in the evenings in Jama Masjid, volunteers rush to chip in for distribution of food to those who may not have it.

Neha has been organizing Iftar for hundreds of fasting people every evening of Ramzan for three years.

A resident of Chawri Bazaar, Neha, considers her mission as part of her effort to combat hatred with love. She said, " I am very sure that more such efforts will be made and one day we will eliminate hatred."

Neha Bharti,Ranita Singh Bharti and Ranish Noor arrive with food cartons at Jama Masjid

Speaking to Awaz The Voice at Jamia Masjid, Neha Bharti said that since childhood, she liked feeding people. Today, when she offers food to help people break their dawn-to-dusk fast, it makes her happy. "I am not only

serving the fasting people, it also builds bridges between two communities. This is important for strengthening the foundations of the country."

She says, "I am a resident of Old Delhi. This is where I was brought up. From the beginning, my parents never told me the difference between Hindus and Muslims."

She rues that nowadays many people are promoting hate. "My upbringing was the opposite. We also did a lot of work in the Kisan Andolan. After that, we have been organizing Iftar for 30 days of Ramzan in Jama Masjid for the last three years." 

Neha Bharti says she serves home-cooked food. "The food I serve is made at my home. I prepare Iftar with my family - parents, brothers, sisters-in-law and friends. My parents do most of the work of making Iftar, my job is that when the Iftar is ready, I pack it and bring it to the mosque for distribution." 

Neha Bharti says that although she launched this initiative, many people are supporting her NGO Helping Hands. "I get a lot of support including monetary from social media. The donations not only come from Indians but also from abroad. People want to join the good work through donations."

Neha Bharti with volunteers distributing food for Iftar

Neha said, "It is interesting to note that non-Muslims also like my work. They also fund Iftar."

Neha Bharti says her parents encouraged her in this mission. "Initially, some people made fun of my work. They found it strange that a Hindu girl was doing this work during the Muslim month of worship. I never cared about it. I focused on my work. In every society, a section only takes the responsibility of criticism and ridicule."

She is happy that today everyone is heaping praises on her.

Neha Bharti said that her neighbours always express their happiness over her work. I received a lot of love from everyone. People have started recognising me."

On the day I met her, Neha Bharti included fruits, kachori, sherbet, and pakodas (fried dumplings) on the Iftar platter. "I want those fasting were not bored by eating the same food every day."

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