Shining example of communal harmony in Bhandara

Nagpur, Mar 27 (UNI) In a shining example of communal harmony, the descendant of a Hindu saint in Bhandara city in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, prays and makes an offering at the durgah of a Muslim saint before distributing the 'prasad' during the Ram Navami celebrations every year.

It is a tradition that the family of Vijay Keshavrao Desosant, alias Anna Maharaj has been following for the last 250 years.

Mr Deosant is a descendant of Hindu saint Deobaba.

Mr Deosant told UNI that Deobaba's son Raghunath Maharaj and Muslim saint Pirshah lived in Bhandara around the mid-1700's during the reign of Raje Raghuji Bhosle-I, and were very intimate friends.

Raghunath Maharaj, used to celebrate Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti with religious zeal, and Pirshah used to participate in the celebrations and partake of the prasad, Mr Deosant said. A short while after Pirshah passed away, he appeared before Raghunath Maharaj and told him that he had come for prasad, which should be sent to him like every year, Mr Deosant says.

Thus began the tradition, which is being followed till date.

Mr Deosant took the prasad to Pirshah's durgah this afternoon before distributing it among the devotees celebrating Ram Navami.

UNI