(BARNALA): In a unique example of communal harmony, Brahmins in Moom village of Punjab's

district have donated land for a mosque and Sikhs have contributed funds for its construction. The two communities are also helping with the construction of the structure.

"Till now, we have been saying prayers in two rooms inside the shrine of Baba Momin Shah in the village. But after the Pandit biradari donated about two marlas of land, we have started construction (of the mosque). Not only did they provide us with land, they are also helping us with the construction. They have also arranged funds for us," said 40 year old Najim Khan, who along with his brother Jasvir Khan is supervising the construction work in their village, which is on the border of Ludhiana district.

"As donations are pouring in from villagers, including our

Sikh

brothers, we are hopeful that construction work will be completed within the next few months," Najim said.

Pandit Purshotam Lal, an Ayurveda practitioner in the village, said that by donating l and for the mosque, his community has fulfilled its duty. "We are constructing a Shiva temple nearby and we have gurdwaras in the village... So it was our dream to get a mosque constructed here. For us, every human is equal irrespective of religion. And being Punjabi, we have learnt secularism from our childhood days and for us being secular is a matter of pride," said Purshotam, who played a vital role in taking the initiative.

Another villager, who identified himself as Master said that with the mosque being constructed, the area will have places of worship for all the three communities close to each other. "This is an example that Punjab and Punjabis are setting for the rest of India."

"We are giving a blunt message that politicians will create hate between various communities for political gains, but we should not fall into their trap," said the middle-aged man.

The village of around 4,000 people has Sikhs in a majority and Muslims and Hindus number about 400 each. Sarpanch Manjeet Kaur said the village, which has been in existence for more than 300 years, has a history of peaceful coexistence and communal harmony.