When the loudspeaker at Thattuparambu Juma Masjid in Paipra panchayat, near Muvattupuzha town, along the eastern suburbs of Ernakulam district announced the news of a death in the neighbourhood on June 13 midnight, it marked the beginning of a secular tradition breaking orthodox religious conventions.
The announcement of the death of 75-year-old Kuttappan, a Hindu, was the first such message to be relayed since the Jamaath committee decided to announce all deaths in its neighbourhood, irrespective of the religion of the deceased, through its public address system used otherwise for the muezzin’s call to prayer.
A goodwill gesture
“We broached the idea during a public meeting of mosque in April, and it was accepted unanimously. We do not consider it a revolutionary move. It was a goodwill gesture to the people of the locality known for their peaceful coexistence. The idea was to embrace people and share their pain when they are grieving,” said Abdul Kabeer, president of Jamaath committee and an Arabic teacher at a nearby school.
The news spread quite fast by word of mouth and has since been well-received by all communities. The announcement can be heard over a two-kilometre radius and may benefit around 2,000 households in the densely populated area.
Strict verification
However, the Jamaath committee has chosen to keep out alerts received over social media. Instead, the dear ones of the deceased will have to personally share the details. The committee will further verify it before relaying it over the loudspeaker. Deaths from adjoining wards would also be announced provided the deceased have relatives within the limits of the mosque.
The announcement, though, would not be restricted to deaths but would be used to bring emergency help to the alive as well. “The mosque would announce all emergency messages, from requests for medical aid to call for blood donors. After all, public announcement still remains one of the simplest means to draw attention,” said Mr. Kabeer.
