NEW DELHI, Dec 11: A Muslim businessman has donated land worth nearly Rs one crore for expansion of a Hanuman temple at Hoskote taluka, about 35 kilometres from Bengaluru city.
The exemplary gesture of communal harmony came after the trustees of the Sri Veeranjaneyaswami Temple in Valagerepura requested the Bengaluru-based Muslim businessman HMG Basha, who owned a cargo transport business, to donate some land for the temple. The trustees were pleasantly surprised to find that Basha agreed to part with much more than they had requested for, about 1.5 gunthas of land, and all entirely a free donation.
The request to Basha was made by the trustees after the Karnataka government ordered that the temple constructed some three decades ago had to make way for the expansion of the national highway (NH-75, Old Madras Road). Since Basha owned open land adjacent to the temple, the trustees requested him to spare some land to shift and expand the temple and received much more in return than asked for.
According to the president of the temple trust, MD Byregowda, Basha had been a regular attendee of all festivities at the temple.
“While we are uncertain about when we would live and perish, doing something for the benefit of others is better by all means than spreading hatred,” said Basha, adding his decision was supported by all his family members as well. He said he decided to donate additional land so that the devotees could move a bit more freely.
Byregowda said the foundation stone of the temple had been laid and the construction, estimated to cost around Rs 1 crore, was expected to begin in full swing in January 2021.
(Manas Dasgupta)