RELIGIOUS HARMONY IN KARNATAKA

Any regional or cultural scenario is always torn asunder by divisive forces as well as forces trying to bring about emotional integration and Karnataka is no exception. The upper echelons of any religious hegemony are keen to fan the fires of communal discord and gain the upper hand in power politics. On the contrary, common people are driven by faith and love which transcends all barriers of religions and castes, unless they become puppets in the hands communal forces. Karnataka has witnessed inter religious and Intra religious conflicts among Shaiva sect, Vashnava sect, Jaina and Islamic religions over the centuries. However, the pan Indian Bhakti movement and the unifying forces set in motion by Sufis, mystics and ‘tattvadapadakAraru’ have worked ceaselessly to further communal harmony. Communal accord that prevails in almost all villages of Karnataka is an outcome of these endeavours. People respect Gods and saints belonging to all religions and seek favours from those Gods when they are in trouble. Festive occasions are celebrated in the entire village cutting across castes and religions. In addition to this there are many shrines in Karnataka which attract devotees from all castes and religions. These shrines are managed by people belonging to different religious faiths. For instance in Dharmasthala a Hindu God Manjunatha (Shiva) is worshipped by Brahmin priests (who of course do worship shiva) and the whole show is managed by Jaina Heggades. Added to this the place was originally associated with folk deities. In some of these places many rituals are geared to bring about a participation of different religions.

Of course, most places of pilgrimage are visited by Hindus of all castes. However this note focuses on places which show amity among different religions.

Bababudan Giri, Dharmasthala, Sharanabasava Temple in Gulbarga, Khwaja Bande Navaz Darga in Gulbarga, Shivalingana Matha in Savalagi and the Infant Mary Jesus church in Bangalore are some important places reflecting this attitude.

Bababudan Giri: Bababudan Giri a part of the Western Ghats has a cave which is worshipped as the shrine of the Muslim saint Dada Hayath Mir Khalander. That very cave is also known as ‘dattAtrEya pITha’. People belonging to all religions visit this place, offer their prayers and seek the blessings of the saints.

Khwaja Bande Navaz Darga, Gulbarga: Khwaja Bande Navaz Darga is the tomb of the famous Saint Hazrath Khwaja Bande Navaz Gesu Daraz. He was a great Sufi saint. (“The Sufi saint settled down in Gulbarga on the invitation of Bahamani King Fairoze Shah Bahamani. For the next 22 years, till his death at the age of 105 years, Khwaja made Gulbarga his home and spread the message of universal brotherhood from here.”) His darga continues to be a place of pilgrimage to both Hindus and Muslims. It is great symbol of religious harmony.

Savalagi Shivalingana Matha: Savalagi (sAvaLagi) is a small town in Gokak talluk of Belgaum district. It contains a beautiful shrine of Shivalingeshvara built in Islamic style and a religious institution known as ‘sAvaLagi maTha’. There is regular interaction between the Swamiji of sAvaLagi and the seer of Bende Nawaj darga in Gulbarga. People from both religions congregate here during the annual fair. The village Savalgi in Bijapura district is also well known as a shrine fostering religious harmony.

Infant Mary Church, Bangalore: ‘Infant Jesus church’ situated in Viveknagar is one among the oldest and famed churches in Bangalore. This is visited by thousands of devotees from all castes. The shrine, which has a long history of sacrifice and devotion, was built in 1979. Later a new church adjacent to the old shrine was inaugurated and opened for devotees on June 9th, 2005. The new church has a fan shaped hall and the interior is designed in such a way that wherever people are seated, they will feel that the altar is facing them. It also has provisions for basement parking, a ramp and lifts, so that people can easily reach the podium. The devotion to Infant Jesus has become widespread and the shrine is known as a place for miracles and divine solace. Devotees arrive here for Novena's held every Thursday to experience the amazing power of Infant Jesus.” Khaja Aminuddin Dargah of Bijapur, Shirahatti Fakirswamy Math in Gadag district, Kodekal Basavanna, Thintani Mauneswara of Surpur taluk in Gulbarga district, Murughamalla Kshetra of Chintamani taluk are some more shrines in Karnataka which facilitate Hindu-Muslim and Hindu-Christian amity. In addition to these there are many shrines in towns and villages of Karnataka which promote religious harmony. This attitude is also reflected in the exchanges that have taken place in fields of art and architecture all through history among different religions.

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