When the Masjid Committee in Malpora village in Sopore in North Kashmir decided to raise funds for completion of mosque construction, members went door-to-door during the Muslim month of fasting. They were taken aback when old lady donated an egg, among other things. The Committee had no option but to accept. But little did they know that egg would eventually fetch Rs 2.26 lakh.
The mosque committee auctions all the donations it receives in kind. The egg too put up for auction. The humble donation turned out to be a major attraction for villagers. The egg exchanged hands at the auction. After every auction, the buyer would return it for another auction to raise more money.
According to the locals, the egg was finally purchased by a man for Rs 70,000, but the total amount raised by repeated auctions was around Rs 2.2 lakh.
Danish Ahmad is the young man who sealed the deal on day three of the auction. A twelfth grader, Ahman is a businessman.
“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.
“My mother hugged me and said you have done great. That is enough for me”. However, Danish said the people 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.