A hill pulls diverse faiths together
by Rohit Ghosh
India Times, Nov. 3, 2005
An ancient tomb, a temple, two mosque-like halls, a Buddhist structure and a few other old constructions atop a hill in Madhya Pradesh make for a shining symbol of communal harmony.
The hill, known as Lohangi, lies in the middle of the bustling township of Vidisha, 54 km from here. It never fails to catch the eye of a visitor, appearing rather like a big mole on a plane landscape.
The tomb of an unknown Sufi saint and the Annapurna Devi temple draw the devout from far away. And people of different faiths visit both sites.
"The tomb is many centuries old," says Kamla, a Hindu who came from Bina to pay obeisance at the temple and the tomb. "We were childless and came here for prayers that were answered. Now I come here quite often."
Two halls built of stone columns and slabs that bear calligraphy in Arabic are located on the hill. Some Muslims living around Lohangi feel they are the remains of a mosque.
But the upkeep of the structures other than the tomb and the temple is poor, and locals are hardly aware of the importance of the heritage.
A densely populated area on the foothills now surrounds Lohangi and one has to wade through the locality to reach the hundreds of stone stairs that lead to the top.
"It is a big attraction for both local residents who treat it as a picnic spot and tourists but we are not aware about its history," says Mujeeb Khan, who lives in the Kiri area in Vidisha.
"It is very old. The tomb and the other structures must have been built before the Mughals came," he says. He often visits Lohangi to pray at the tomb.
The huge stone structure kept on a base near the temple and the tomb looks like part of an Asoka pillar.
The unique hill is visible from everywhere in the city and even outside.
"The hill needs to be developed properly but, due to the dense population in the base and lack of cleanliness, visitors are often turned off," says Sanjay Jain, a youth.
"People who go to the temple pray at the tomb as well," he adds.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
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Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Lohangi Hill (Madhya Pradesh, India): A hill pulls diverse faiths together
A hill pulls diverse faiths together
by Rohit Ghosh
India Times, Nov. 3, 2005
An ancient tomb, a temple, two mosque-like halls, a Buddhist structure and a few other old constructions atop a hill in Madhya Pradesh make for a shining symbol of communal harmony.
The hill, known as Lohangi, lies in the middle of the bustling township of Vidisha, 54 km from here. It never fails to catch the eye of a visitor, appearing rather like a big mole on a plane landscape.
The tomb of an unknown Sufi saint and the Annapurna Devi temple draw the devout from far away. And people of different faiths visit both sites.
"The tomb is many centuries old," says Kamla, a Hindu who came from Bina to pay obeisance at the temple and the tomb. "We were childless and came here for prayers that were answered. Now I come here quite often."
Two halls built of stone columns and slabs that bear calligraphy in Arabic are located on the hill. Some Muslims living around Lohangi feel they are the remains of a mosque.
But the upkeep of the structures other than the tomb and the temple is poor, and locals are hardly aware of the importance of the heritage.
A densely populated area on the foothills now surrounds Lohangi and one has to wade through the locality to reach the hundreds of stone stairs that lead to the top.
"It is a big attraction for both local residents who treat it as a picnic spot and tourists but we are not aware about its history," says Mujeeb Khan, who lives in the Kiri area in Vidisha.
"It is very old. The tomb and the other structures must have been built before the Mughals came," he says. He often visits Lohangi to pray at the tomb.
The huge stone structure kept on a base near the temple and the tomb looks like part of an Asoka pillar.
The unique hill is visible from everywhere in the city and even outside.
"The hill needs to be developed properly but, due to the dense population in the base and lack of cleanliness, visitors are often turned off," says Sanjay Jain, a youth.
"People who go to the temple pray at the tomb as well," he adds.
by Rohit Ghosh
India Times, Nov. 3, 2005
An ancient tomb, a temple, two mosque-like halls, a Buddhist structure and a few other old constructions atop a hill in Madhya Pradesh make for a shining symbol of communal harmony.
The hill, known as Lohangi, lies in the middle of the bustling township of Vidisha, 54 km from here. It never fails to catch the eye of a visitor, appearing rather like a big mole on a plane landscape.
The tomb of an unknown Sufi saint and the Annapurna Devi temple draw the devout from far away. And people of different faiths visit both sites.
"The tomb is many centuries old," says Kamla, a Hindu who came from Bina to pay obeisance at the temple and the tomb. "We were childless and came here for prayers that were answered. Now I come here quite often."
Two halls built of stone columns and slabs that bear calligraphy in Arabic are located on the hill. Some Muslims living around Lohangi feel they are the remains of a mosque.
But the upkeep of the structures other than the tomb and the temple is poor, and locals are hardly aware of the importance of the heritage.
A densely populated area on the foothills now surrounds Lohangi and one has to wade through the locality to reach the hundreds of stone stairs that lead to the top.
"It is a big attraction for both local residents who treat it as a picnic spot and tourists but we are not aware about its history," says Mujeeb Khan, who lives in the Kiri area in Vidisha.
"It is very old. The tomb and the other structures must have been built before the Mughals came," he says. He often visits Lohangi to pray at the tomb.
The huge stone structure kept on a base near the temple and the tomb looks like part of an Asoka pillar.
The unique hill is visible from everywhere in the city and even outside.
"The hill needs to be developed properly but, due to the dense population in the base and lack of cleanliness, visitors are often turned off," says Sanjay Jain, a youth.
"People who go to the temple pray at the tomb as well," he adds.
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