AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Last week, a group linked to Hindu nationalist currents caused tensions at the historic Malang Gad shrine in the Kalyan area of Thane district, in India’s Maharashtra state, after removing the site’s green covering and spreading a saffron-colored cloth, a color symbolically associated with Hinduism, while chanting religious slogans.
Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, prompting strong reactions and concern among observers about the implications of such provocative actions at a site that has been revered for centuries by followers of both religions.
The Malang Gad, also known as Haji Malang, is a centuries-old shrine believed to be the burial place of an Arab preacher who arrived in India more than 700 years ago. Over generations, the site has symbolized interfaith coexistence, with Hindus offering prayers and vows, while Muslims perform pilgrimages and place green coverings as part of their religious practices.
The latest developments have once again drawn attention to the contested status of the Malang Gad shrine, raising questions about the preservation of its shared historical identity amid an increasingly polarized religious climate.
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