Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In an exemplary show of communal harmony and brotherhood, a Muslim family performed not only the last rites of a Hindu man but also observing the 13-day mourning period and completed all the rituals in accordance with sanatan dharma. They even held his ‘tehrvin’ in Hariram village of Bhadohi district recently.

‘Tehrvin’ is the thirteenth day of mourning after the death of a person and it culminates in feeding Brahmins, relatives and the acquaintances of the departed soul.

As per sources, Morari Lal Srivastava (65) used to work at a poultry firm owned by Irfan Mohammad Khan and Farid Khan in Bhadohi, eastern Uttar Pradesh.

On June 13, Srivastava, affectionately called Lala by his colleagues, died after being bitten by something venomous, while working on the poultry farm. However, it could not be established as to what bit Srivastava.

The police sources said as the deceased had no immediate family or distant relatives, his body was handed over to the Khans who performed his last rites with the help of other workers of the firm.

Last Tuesday, Khans organised the 'tehrvin' feast for the departed soul and invited people for the ceremony, following all the Hindu customs. They got the invitation cards printed with names of members of the Khan family and that of their firm.

The local sources said that Srivastava was working for Irfan and Farid Khan for the past 15 years and was considered by them as a member of their family.

"He was like an elderly family member and we did what should be done for any elderly member of a family," said Irfan Khan, while interacting with media persons.

He claimed that people were surprised to see him carrying out all the rituals and distributing invites.

Even before feeding the Brahmins on the 13th day on June 25, a 'shanti paath' was held. Similarly, on the 10th day (daswan) of mourning on June 22, all those who had performed the last rites got their heads tonsured following the norms.

Around a thousand people from both the Hindu and Muslim communities attended the ceremony.