Muslims and Sikhs on Saturday set an example of communal harmony in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath, 300 kilometres from here, when the local gurdwara offered Muslims space to offer Eid prayers.

Muslims had gathered at a local ground in large numbers to offer prayers on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Zuha, but could not proceed due to incessant overnight rains.

This is when Gurdwara Singh Sabha stepped in and welcomed them to the gurdwara.

“Be it Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims we have a strong bonding in Joshimath. The senior management from the gurdwara sahib and the Muslim community held a short meeting on Saturday morning and made quick arrangements for the prayers,” Buta Singh, manager, Shri Hemkunt Sahib gurdwara, told HT on phone. More than 500 Muslims offered namaaz in the retiring hall of the gurdwara, he said.

“The incessant rains for the past couple of days had rendered offering Bakr-Eid Namaaz at the traditional Gandh Maidan and local municipal board hall difficult. This led us to approach Govindghat-based gurdwara management committee senior manager Seva Singh for permission to offer namaaz there. The gurdwara has ample space to accommodate sizable devout,” said Salim Raja, an office bearer of Joshimath Muslim Committee.

This is not the first time that Sikhs have offered space for Eid prayers.

On August 20, 2012, the Muslims prayed at the same gurdwara. Joshimath is believed to be the last place in the state towards the China border where Muslims offer Namaaz. Beyond Joshimath lies Badrinath, one of four shrines of the Chardham pilgrimage of Hindus.

“Though we keep hearing stories about growing hatred in the society, by Allah’s grace we never witnessed such negative things here,” said Rais Ahmad (50).

Joshimath falls in the Chamoli district home to revered Hindu shrine – Badrinath and Hemkunt Sahib, the Sikh grudwara.