Year after year, Muslim man does Vishu honours at Evoor

ALAPPUZHA: For the last eight years, a Muslim businessman from Kayamkulam, who wishes to be anonymous, has been feeding about 2,000 Hindu devotees on Vishu day at Evoor Sreekrishna Swamy temple governed by the Travancore Devaswom Board. Now his continuing generosity has become a symbol of community amity. He was stopped neither by the devotees nor temple officials from doing this ritual. And it evolved into an inseparable bond between the him and Lord Krishna.

On Saturday when this correspondent met him at his home in Kayamkulam town, his first request was that neither his name nor photo should be published in the newspaper. But he was happy to spread the message of why he did it. “It’s a deal between me and Bhagavan (Lord Krishna). I think the sanctity of the act will be defiled if my picture is published,” he said emphatically. The father of two children and also a council member of Kayankulam Jama Masjid, he says that he believes that does not expect a reward from this world, but from the almighty once he leaves this world.

"I am now 50. I’ll continue to feed the devotees at Evoor temple as long as I have money to spend. So far I haven’t been deprived of money,” an importer of metallic sheets said. When asked about whether he had to face any opposition from his community, he said he had never been stopped by anybody from his religion. “All people in the Mosque council including the Moulavi are aware of it. I spoke to the Moulavi. He is so liberal, he never discouraged me. By the way, if anybody were to discourage me, I am not going to budge,” he says.

It was in 2010 that Chandrasenan Nair, a friend and Secretary of Anushtaanam, an organisation relating to temple arts active in Evoor temple, approached him for a  donation to conduct the Vishu festival at the temple.  He was struck by the idea of sponsoring the meals of all devotees on Vishu day. When he spoke his mind, none of temple administration members rejected the offer. Since then he has become a servant of Lord Krishna. He spends at least Rs 2lakh every Vishu day for this cause.He added that he was told by devotees that Lord Krishna was very pleased with his bhakthi.

“I go to Evoor temple for nirmayladhasahan and I share my grief with Bhagavan. I am sure until today I have his blessings. The Vishu meals will be distributed only in the presence of a member of my family. All people in and around the temple know about my contribution to this temple. Last year, we fed about 1800 devotees. This time 2000 are expected. The Sadya will begin by noon at the temple auditorium,” he said. The legend behind the temple says Lord Krishna’s idol was resurrected by Arjuna, the great friend of Sree Krishna in Dvaparayuga. However the temple was engulfed by a fire a century ago. But it’s believed that the temple was rejuvenated by Sree Moolam Thirunal. Later, it became famous as Onattukara’s Guruvayoor.