Every morning and evening, the Dwarkadhish Temple reverberates with the beats of the drum during aarti, elevating hope and positivity, and bringing alive prayers to the divine.
This temple in Dwarka, the ancient kingdom of Lord Krishna, is an example of religious amity. Here, it doesn’t matter if the man behind the uplifting drum beats inside the temple gate during the aartis is a Muslim.
Firoz Makhda (42) has been playing the drum at the temple for as long as he can remember.
He is the third generation of Muslim dholis at the temple and is very much part of the prayers as the thousands of devotees who congregate here to join their hands in prayer. Along with Firoz is Bahauddin Mir, whose melodious shehnai notes accompany the aarti percussion. Mir is an old friend of Firoz’s father Hasam, who too was a temple dholi.
Jayesh Khodiya, deputy administrator of Dwarka Mandir Vyavasthapan Samiti, says, “Firoz is a Muslim and from the Mir sub-caste. He plays the drum in the temple premises near the security area and is paid an honorary reward by our vice-chairman.”
Having grown up on the temple premises, Firoz feels a deep connection with its Lord. Whenever his phone rings, he greets the caller with ‘Jay Dwarkadhish’.
Firoz never attended school and followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Jusab. “I have no memory of my grandfather. When I was little, my grandmother would tell me about him being the temple drummer and how he would be paid in grain for his services,” reminisces Firoz.
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