Srinagar: As the dusky Malpora village in Sopore North Kashmir finally decided to raise donations for the completion of the mosque construction, they moved from door to door during the Muslim month of fasting. There was a poor old aged woman whose identity had not been disclosed by the Masjid Committee, who – among other things, offered an egg. The Committee had no option but to accept.
The mosque committee accepted the egg and like other donations in kind, it was put up for auction.
The humble donation turned out to be a major attraction for villagers.
The egg exchanged many hands. After every auction, the buyer would return it for another auction to raise more money.
Locals say the egg was finally purchased by a man for ₹ 70,000. The total amount raised by the repeated egg auction was around ₹ 2.2 lakh.
We have completed the auction of this egg and it has raised ₹ 2.26 lakh rupees,” said a man who purchased the egg.
The young man who finally sealed the deal on day three of the auction is Danish Ahmad. A twelfth grader who decided to get into business is the second sibling of his parents.
“We are desperate to complete the construction of this mosque. It has been waiting to have its roof completed but the Jamia is slightly bigger and requires good money,” Danish said, speaking from Warpora, the neighbouring village, where he runs a solar appliances shop. “I am not a rich man but it was just the passion and emotion towards the sacred space that I did this.
Danish said he got what he deserved: “My mother hugged me and said you have done great. That is enough for me”. However, Danish said the people around must help the village conclude the construction of this mosque.
Malpora is located on the road from Sopore to Bandipore, barely 4 km away from the main town. “We may be around 250 households in this village. We work hard in orchards and earn but we do not fall in a rich village category,” he said. “That is precisely why the residents do whatever they can to complete the Jamia. Even you can help us.