Ganesh Chaturthi or Muharram, Karnataka village celebrates both under same roof

Hubli (Karnataka) [India], Aug 28 : Residents of Bidnal area in Hubli of Dharwad district celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi and observe Muharram together, under the same 'pandal', whenever the dates of the two festivals coincide.
Speaking to ANI, Maulana Zakir Qazi asserted that the dates of Ganesh Chaturthi and Muharram coincide every 33-35 years.
"In this village, nobody is a Hindu or a Muslim alone, both come together in unison. All of us are children of God. The practice of celebrating festivals together inculcates a sense of love and togetherness in the hearts of people. People from both communities observe their festivals with equal devotion here."
Mohan, a devotee said, "It was done earlier too, we are taking the tradition forward. These two festivals coincided when we were kids. People here celebrated Muharram and Ganesh Chaturthi with great joy under the same pandal. This tradition should continue for the country's unity."
Another devotee, Asif Balari said that celebrating festivals together is a symbol of humanity.
"Everyone celebrates here together. There will be no difference between Hindu and Muslim if people start celebrating their festivals together, it should happen everywhere. This way we can convey a message to the society," he added.