At Sadbhavna Camp, tradition of Muslims showering kanwariyas with rose petals continues

Indian Express

4 days ago

On a stretch of road that runs parallel to a mosque and a cemetery in Northeast Delhi's Jafrabad, Kawariyas dressed in saffron arrive one after the other. As they approach a camp for kanwars, named 'Sadbhavna Camp', the kawariyas chant their usual refrain – 'Bam Lahiri' and 'Bol Bam.' But at this particular camp, something is different.
A group of men, wearing white kurtas and skull caps, wait at the camp's entrance with rose petals in their hands.
'Hamare kawariya bhai aa rahe hain, unka swagat kariye, unko namaste kariye, unko salaam kijiye (Our Kanwariya brothers are coming, welcome them, greet them, salute them),' a man announces.
As the kanwariyas pass the camp, the men raise their arms and release the rose petals into the air.
'Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isai, aapas mein hain hum sab bhai-bhai… Hindustan zindabad, Hindustan ki ekta zindabad (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, we are all brothers… Long live India, long live the unity of India),' they chant.
As the petals land on the kanwariyas, for a moment, they slow down, confused. Then someone cheers, 'Jai Bholenath', and the rest join in.
Inside the camp, there is chilled water, fruits, soft drinks, and shade under a blue-and-white fabric tent erected by Seelampur MLA Zubair Chaudhary. A sign outside reads: 'Sadbhavna Camp mein aap sabhi kanwariyon ka hardik swagat.'
The camp was first set up in 1994 as an attempt to reduce communal disharmony in the area. It was the initiative of Chaudhary's father, Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed, a five-time Congress MLA.
While the family has since shifted allegiance to the
Aam Aadmi Party before this year's Delhi elections, the 31-year-old tradition of Muslims showering kanwariyas with rose petals continues.
'Before 1994, when kanwariyas used to pass from here, fights or riots would break out. They usually chant 'Bam Bam' or 'Har Har Mahadev' but because the residents here didn't understand these chants, they felt they were being provoked. The tension would carry forward to Seelampur, where Muslims were targeted in retaliation,' Zubair told The Indian Express.
'After my father became MLA in 1993, he organised the first camp the following year. He sat here with the members of the Muslim community to ensure peace. The most remarkable thing was that the entire community supported it. Thirty-one years have passed since that first camp, and there hasn't been a single untoward incident. The goal has always been to ensure that Shiv bhakts, those who bring back Gangajal from Gaumukh, Haridwar and Rishikesh, are able to walk without facing any
trouble,' he added.
Jafrabad was among the neighbourhoods worst hit during the 2020 Delhi riots. Memories of charred homes and lost lives still linger. But at the Sadbhavna camp, saffron and white co-exits.
'Much has been lost, but much has survived. We hope this helps heal past bruises,' said Riyaz Uddin, who has been serving at the camp for all of its 31 years. 'Every year, we sit here, handing out fruits and water to our kawariya brothers and sisters.'
'We all want to live like brothers and sisters. We want unity, we are all Indians. We shouldn't be fighting,' said Prabhat Lal, a Jafrabad resident and a volunteer at the camp. 'An initiative like this bridges gaps and builds kindness in our hearts.'
A few kanwariyas leave the camp with rose petals still clinging to their shoulders.
'The journey has been long, but I don't feel tired. Faith gives me the strength to walk for miles. And this gesture has given me even more courage,' said Jitendra Shyam, a contractor from Rajasthan who is on the pilgrimage with his neighbour.