Women’s Hub, a group of women involved in various socio-cultural activities and women empowerment, organised an all-faith Iftar at the Guwahati Blind School on Friday in which around 100 people, including the students of the school, participated.
Speaking on the occasion, school principal Bhaben Barman said, “It’s indeed a memorable day today for we are having the first ever iftar get together at our school. Even though we have a few students observing roza here, but we never had an iftar programme in the school before.” Barman expressed the hope that such programmes would go a long way in removing misgivings about different religions that people harbour in their minds.
Former principal of KC Das Commerce College and a senior member of the Women’s Hub, Swabera Islam, deliberated on the background and the objective of holding the iftar programme. She also described the hard work that the members put in to organise this programme within a very short time.
Leading citizens, crossing the barriers of faith, were present at the iftar and spoke to the students in their own ways.
Renowned columnist and writer, Mitra Phukan, remembered her iftar hopping visits to friends’ houses all through the holy month of Ramzan. Gurpreet Singh Uppal, a practising lawyer of Gauhati High Court, said, “I am a Sikh, we don’t observe roza in our house, but holding iftar parties for our Muslim friends is a tradition in our house for many years.”
Head of neurosurgery department at GNRC Hospitals, Dr Navanil Barua, dwelt on the sublime aspects of Ramzan that teaches people about self-control, compassion, and piety.
Florence Handique Rabha, a teacher and TV anchor, delighted the students with motivational songs while internationally acclaimed Assamese singer Kalpana Patowari sang devotional songs and Zikir in which the students of the school also took part.
Aman Wadud and Nurul Laskar, represented the Stars of North East Group, and deliberated on different aspects of Islam and Ramzan.
While Shabnam Choudhury anchored the programme, the vote of thanks was offered by Rehna Sultana, a research scholar at Gauhati University. The event was conceptualised and coordinated by journalist Teresa Rehman.
