Muslims give Hindu astrologer a noble farewell

By Aswin Devan | NT

Bengaluru: In a rare gesture that is quite unthinkable of in the troubled times we live in, a group of Muslim men in Bengaluru bade an honourable farewell to a Hindu Brahmin astrologer, paying his hospital dues of `45,000, on Friday.

Astrologer Ravishankar Namboodiri, 75, who hailed from Kerala, had been living alone at Maruthi Nagar in Yelahanka for more than 15 years. His health deteriorated last Tuesday. His neighbour, Sheeba, took him to Sri Arogya Hospital at Bagalur Cross. Medicines could not save Ravishankar, and he breathed his last on Friday morning.

But death failed to end Ravishankar’s ordeals. The hospital authorities insisted that they would release his body for cremation only if someone paid his bills worth Rs 45,000.

With no one around to help, Sheeba turned to All India Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (AIKMCC), which has been in the forefront of charity activities in the city for more than four decades.

She called the organisation’s Hebbal-Yelahanka area secretary Rasheed. Soon, a team of volunteers rushed to the spot. They negotiated with the hospital official, who agreed to give a discount of Rs 10,000 from the bill. Ravishankar’s house owner contributed Rs 10,000 that the deceased had paid as security deposit to rent the facility. But KMCC volunteers were still short of Rs 25,000.

The enormity of the challenge did not bog them down. Instead, they approached potential financial sources and within a few hours, they could raise the amount.

“We raised the funds from our network in the city,” said Rasheed. Later, KMCC volunteers cremated the body at Hebbal electric crematorium in accordance with the Hindu rituals. “We felt very satisfied to give our Kerala brother an honourable farewell on the day of Vishu (Keralites celebrate new year on April 14),” said Rasheed. He said KMCC has been offering a helping hand to people in distress. “Religion and language are no barrier for us. We believe in only humanity,” he said.