Hindu-Muslim flower fest strengthens religious bonds

NEW DELHI: Festivals seem to have an unspoken way of healing bruised relations. The recent blast in Mehrauli may have left deep scars in the lives of locals, but what remains undampened is the inter-religious bonding and the spirit of sharing. The three-day festival Phool Waalon ki Sair seems to have stirred up such a spirit.
Hindus and Muslims both celebrate this festival which involves a procession decorated with flowers to the shrine of Devi Jog Maya and the dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki."Hindus offer a chaddar decorated with flowers to the shrine of Bakhtiyar Kaki, while Muslims offer a floral pankha at the Jog Maya temple,'' recalls 85-year-old Abdul Azeem, who has seen the celebration for years.
Azeem, in fact, believes that over the years the communal bonding has only strengthened and the festivity remains unaffected by such tragedies.
The whole atmosphere is that of fun and frolic, with qawwalis, and kathak being performed on the streets. Fire dancers also take to the streets during the procession and add a mystic touch to the proceedings. People can be seen holding decorative flower pankhas as they march towards the two holy places.
According to a priest of the nearby Radhey Shyam temple, over the years, younger people have increased their participation in the festival.