Muslim artisans in Varanasi are making crowns for Hindu deities.
The crown making business starts ahead of the Hindu festival Janmasthami, the birth anniversary of their Lord Krishna.
Idols are normally made of clay, but Hindus and Muslims work together to adorn it.
"The stitching and designing of a crown is done by Muslims, whereas the finishing and the selling of crowns is done by Hindus. 50-50 work is shared by both Hindus and Muslims," said Krishna Prasad Mahendra, a crown exporter. About 20,000 Muslim families depend on crown making for their livelihood.
The crowns are made in various sizes ranging from 22 to 50 inches, depending on the size of the idols, some of which are embedded with stones and semi- precious jewels.
These crowns are then sent to Vrindavan, Mathura, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Surat and Ahmedabad.
www.themuslimweekly.com
The crown making business starts ahead of the Hindu festival Janmasthami, the birth anniversary of their Lord Krishna.
Idols are normally made of clay, but Hindus and Muslims work together to adorn it.
"The stitching and designing of a crown is done by Muslims, whereas the finishing and the selling of crowns is done by Hindus. 50-50 work is shared by both Hindus and Muslims," said Krishna Prasad Mahendra, a crown exporter. About 20,000 Muslim families depend on crown making for their livelihood.
The crowns are made in various sizes ranging from 22 to 50 inches, depending on the size of the idols, some of which are embedded with stones and semi- precious jewels.
These crowns are then sent to Vrindavan, Mathura, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Surat and Ahmedabad.
www.themuslimweekly.com
