Chennai temple serving iftar to Muslims for 40 years
What's the story
Sufidar Temple in Mylapore, Chennai has been a symbol of interfaith unity since the last 40 years: it prepares and serves iftar meals to Muslims during Ramadan.
The tradition was started by Dada Ratanchand, a Hindu refugee from Sindh who came to Chennai seeking shelter during the partition.
Since then, volunteers prepare iftar meals daily for up to 1,200 people every year.
Meal preparation
Volunteers prepare meals for fasting Muslims
Volunteers of the temple begin preparations for iftar meals at 7:30am. The menu consists of biryani, fried rice, vegetable pickles, saffron milk, fruits, and more.
By 5:30pm they are taken to the historic Wallajah Masjid, where they are served to fasters.
Harish Makkar of Sufi Dar told Kashmir Times they rotate the menu daily and serve different rice dishes to around 1,000-1,200 Muslims who gather at the mosque daily.
Additional services
The temple also serves food on other occasions
Apart from serving iftar during Ramadan, the Sufidar Temple also distributes food every new moon night during the evenings. It has a tradition of sending food to the homes of the needy.
The temple's interiors are decorated with photographs of various Hindu and Muslim saints, Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, and Guru Nanak among others. This ensures every devotee visiting the temple finds a spiritual connection.