The Miracle

Walking through the streets of Mumbai, you cannot fail to notice the abundance of places of worship. While mosques and Hindu temples dominate, there is no doubt, a place of worship for every religion practiced by mankind today.  Even in the slums, with its huge population of people, most living below the bread line, you will invariably find a place of worship.  These are marked by either a red flag, indicating a Hindu temple, or a green flag, indicating a Mosque. These places of worship, unlike their counterparts in the west, are constantly filled with people day and night.  There is a great sense of God consciousness.

Most impressive though, is the Haji Ali mosque and shrine.  Situated on an Island a couple of hundred meters from the mainland, it can only be reached at low tide, when the path leading to the mosque is exposed by the receding waters.  Walking to the mosque you are assaulted by the vendors selling silk scarves, shrouds and garlands of flowers.  Offerings to ensure the granting of a prayer.  Children, amputees and people with a multitude of ailments line the path begging for a rupee or two from the passing crowd.  At the gates of the mosque, you remove your shoes and proceed through the courtyard to the shrine, where people of every religious denomination have gathered.  Spreading scarves, shrouds and garlands across the shrine, hoping, hoping that this time their prayer will be accepted at the shrine of a Muslim Saint.

All united in a single purpose!