Milestone of India - Milestone in Hindu - Muslim Unity. (Karnataka - India.)

Symbol of amity:The Hindu-Muslim shrine at Shivalingeshwara Math at Savalgi in Gokak

Belgaum: Shivalingeshwara Math at Savalgi in Gokak taluk, near the confluence of Ghataprabha and Hiranyakeshi rivers, has been a place of worship for all faiths for the last six centuries.

The ground floor/basement of this small but beautiful Hindu-Muslim shrine, built in an Islamic style, houses the nirvikalpa (live) samadhi of Shaiva saint Shivalingeshwara.

There is a tomb in the first floor with four minarets. There is a stone bed and a cotton bed. It is said that Shivalingeshwara and the famous Sufi saint Hazrath Khwaja Bandenawaz Gesudaraz of Gulbarga sat in this room and discussed socio-cultural issues.

Legend

As per legend, as revealed by the 15th seer of the math, Jagadguru Shivalingeshwara Swamiji, certain incidents during the late 14th Century led to communal tension among castes and religions, conflicts that the Shaiva saint is said to have resolved by performing miracles.

The Sufi saint visited Savalgi and is believed to have held discussions with Shivalingeshwara.

Subsequently, Hazrath Khwaja Bandenawaz Gesudaraz ordered Muslims to make common cause with all religious communities and serve the math as servants of the Shaiva saint. Since then, Muslims became an inseparable part of the math.

Of the 66 ‘sevaks' in the shrine, 20 are Muslims and the others

Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.

The key of the main entrance is with a Muslim security guard. Every day around 100 to 500 visiting devotees are provided free meals, and the number is high during annual festivals.

The head of the math must participate in all the important rituals observed by Muslims and other religious communities in the village.

If there is a death, he cannot have bath and perform regular puja until the last rites are performed and the community intimates him about it.

Annual festivals

The two annual festivals — a 10-day ‘jatra mahotsava' in April and the Navaratri-Dasara celebrations in October — see participation by thousands of devotees from all religions and castes.

The grand finale is marked by a magnificent procession with ‘sevaks' in traditional uniforms and holding arms, with the head of the math riding a horse dressed as a king. The devotees chant the slogan “Hara Hara Deen, Hara Hara Mahadev” during the procession.