More than 50 women, cutting across religious and social barriers, broke bread together at a college in Howrah’s Santragachhi on Saturday evening.
A majority of them were students of Deeniyat Muallima College, a community-based educational institution dedicated to empowering Muslim women. The invitees included students and teachers of other institutions.
The all-women meet, on the eve of the International Women’s Day, was organised by Know Your Neighbour, a platform that promotes shared living.
It was aptly called Dosti ki Iftar (Iftar of Friendship). The students of the college were the hosts, planning everything from scratch. The venue was the conference room of the college. The menu included freshly cut fruits, fritters, chicken haleem and falooda.
“The objective of the meet was to provide a space for women to exchange their views and break myths and stereotypes that are associated with Muslim women. Our girls read scriptures but are also well-versed in technology,” said Siddika Tabassum, director of the institution.
Riddhima Koley, who studies English in Jadavpur University, was part of the meet.
“This was my first time at an interfaith Iftar. When sectarian conflict is rearing its ugly head, we should cling on to more such interactions. It is of utmost importance, both socially and politically,” said the third-year undergrad.
The students of the college performed a skit on Saturday. It showed the family of a girl hesitant to fund her higher education. When a relative takes ill, the same girl reads his pulse and blood pressure levels. When surprised family members ask her where she learned all this, she said it was at the college.
Shruti Ghosh, who is into dance and theatre, loved the performance and the general idea of an all-women interfaith Iftar.
“Food is integral to cultural preservation and identity. From that perspective, it was wonderful to see Hindus, Muslims and Christians eating together. This togetherness must be preserved,” she said.
The college near Santrgachhi station was established in 2016 to arrest the dropout rates of Muslim girls, many of whom did not pursue studies after Class XII. The college offers diploma courses in nutrition, health, management, computer science, and language (Urdu, Arabic and communicative English).
“At a time communal polarisation and social divisions often dominate public discourse, initiatives like Dosti Ki Iftar demonstrate how small
efforts can help bridge divides. By bringing people together over shared meals, conversations, and experiences, these programmes reaffirm the idea that mutual understanding and respect remain the strongest foundations of a harmonious society,” said Sabir Ahamed, the convener of Know Your Neighbour.