KOZHIKODE: The small village of Muthuvallur in Kerala’s Muslim-majority district of Malappuram has scripted a heart-warming tale of communal harmony over the renovation of a 400-year-old Durga temple, reaffirming in this Ramzan season a centuries-long tradition of Hindu-Muslim generosity centred on places of worship.
Muthuvallur Sree Durga Bhagavathy Temple, near Kondotty, stands out as an exemplary symbol of the syncretism, with the first phase of its renovation complete and the idol-installation ceremony set for May.The religious camaraderie has been evident through the temple renovation since 2015 in which Muslims contributed generously. Continuing with the tradition, the shrine authorities have again sought the help of people across religious divides for next month’s installation of the new idol to replace one that was broken decades ago. A temple brochure is a testament to communal amity.

Muslims aided in temple dome’s copper-plating
A brochure brought out by temple authorities on May 7-9 idol installation is testament to communal amity. It prominently features photos of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) chief Panakkad Sadikkali Shihab Thangal (the qazi of hundreds of mosques in state and beyond), and temple thantri (vedic head) Thekkiniyedathu Tharananellur Padmanabhan Unni Namboodiripad. The temple, which comes under state-run Malabar Devaswom Board, is located in a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood. Muslims’ involvement in its conservation included copper-plating of the dome some years back.
“As thantri, I reached out to the Muslim community and its leaders, including Thangal. Cooperation and goodwill cutting across religious lines is required for the temple. We received them in plenty,” said Namboodiripad, who is thantri of several temples across Malabar.
Thangal told TOI that in a community where people live in harmony, it was natural to help each other, even in matters concerning faith and places of worship. Thangal even visited the temple at an event organised in 2023 to raise funds for renovation. There, a state Haj committee member, KP Sulaiman Haji, donated Rs 1 lakh.
A “message of love” from the thantri addressed to IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty read out at a temple function on March 30 recounted its history steeped in religious camaraderie.
According to the message, people of Kondotty once had to walk a long way to Tirurangadi for Friday prayers, with many often missing it as they could not reach in time. They decided then that it will be better to build a mosque and approached family of Thalayur Moosad, who owned the temple. The temple owners readily handed over land for the current Pazhayangadi mosque, which was built in the 18th century.
According to temple committee president Chandran P, Muslims have contributed a major chunk of the Rs 38 lakh spent on the temple’s renovation in past few years, besides providing construction material and other aid. “When we approach them for anything connected to the temple, they extended full cooperation,” Chandran said. Muslims have also been providing vegetables for temple festivals. Vinaya Raj, a member of the Thalayur family, held up division-free Muthuvallur as a model for the country.