Devotion beyond religion: Rajkot man bridges faiths through fasting

Time of India

4 days ago

Rajkot: For Ahesan Chauhan, a 52-year-old choreographer from Rajkot, devotion knows no boundaries. A Muslim by birth, he has been fasting in both Shravan and Ramadan for the past 34 years.
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During Shravan, he not only fasts but also visits the Mahadev temple every morning, offering prayers and performing rituals with the same sincerity as Hindu devotees. Later in the day, he offers prayers at the Dargah, seamlessly embodying harmony between the two faiths.
"The first time I heard the name Mahadev was when I was in the fifth standard," recalls Ahesan. "My friends would invoke Mahadev's name before sharing their lunch boxes.
I joined them, and soon I was doing the same. Later, during Shravan, our teachers were fasting, and one of them told me about this God."
Growing up in Rajkot's Jagnath area, surrounded by Hindu neighbours, young Ahesan's curiosity about different faiths grew. He would often ask his friends and neighbours about their Gods and Goddesses. As a child, Ahesan concluded that Mahadev must be the 'super God' and began fasting during school days.
"Ishwariya Mahadev Temple was outside the city back then and considered a picnic spot," Ahesan recalls. "As students, we would cycle there, and that's how my connection with the temple began.
Aehsan has also completed Umrah in Mecca twice, in 2014 and 2023.
"When I was 18, I made a wish to Mahadev — if my friend's sister found a suitable life partner, I would walk to the temple as an offering of gratitude. Within a few days, the wish was fulfilled, and I kept my promise. Since then, I have continued walking to the temple, especially during Shravan, covering nearly 12 km every day from my home," he said.
Ahesan says he has always been welcomed in Mahadev temples. "Even at home, there were no objections. My parents supported me, and in my early days, my elder sister even joined me in observing Shravan fasts.