Thiruvanoor: Muslim girl's harmony art on temple wall

Kozhikode: The wall of Subramanya Swami temple at Thiruvanoor, near here, is adorned with paintings done not by a temple artist, but by a Muslim girl. That is testimony for the religious harmony prevailing in the area at a time when the state is riven by all sorts of divisive issues, including Sabarimala.

The temple committee members and the people of the region helped Hafeefa, a third-year psychology student of Lissah College, Thamarassery, realise her dream to paint the temple wall.

“During every festival season here (Shoora Samhara Maholsavam), the temple committee members used to paint the entire wall. This year I asked my dad, Abu Haneefa, whether I would be given a chance to paint it,” said Hafeefa, a self-taught artist.

“My parents were more excited than me about it and they sought the committee’s permission. They immediately made all the arrangements for it and I completed the paintings in four days. I worked in the evenings after my college hours for my first outdoor wall art. I have used many traditional designs, including peacocks, lamps and a few mural paintings,” she said. “But for the support from the committee members, I would not have been able to take up this venture which was my dream since a young age,” said Hafeefa.

“The unity among the people of Thiruvanoor irrespective of religion, caste and creed prompted me to take up this initiative,” she added.

The wall was generally painted plainly for the festival that falls on November 13. Hafeefa’s paintings will remain there till they repaint the wall during the next year's festival.