VRINDAVAN, INDIA, June 17, 2004: The holy town of Vrindavan is witnessing an example of communal harmony where Muslim weavers are making clothes for Hindu deities. These clothes are distributed not only in the country, but across the globe as well. This town has around 4,000 small and big temples. Muslim weavers here are trying their best to promote harmony and integration. They say that by weaving clothes for Hindu deities, they are worshipping the Almighty in a unique way. “We go to the temples. The priests respect us. We take the measurements and then prepare the clothes. Then we dress the deity with our own hands. If the clothes look good on the deity, we feel happy. Otherwise, we feel sad,” said Ikram Qureshi, a Muslim weaver. “A total of 800 to 1,000 workers are involved. The business is worth US$500,000. These clothes are also exported,” revealed Vipin Kumar Aggarwal, a shopkeeper.
