Tazia cool down by temple priest in Vadodara

Today on the occasion of Muharram Vadodara witnessed a wonderful message of communal harmony where the Tazia was cooled by the priest of Bahucharaji temple.

The tradition started from the Sayajirao Gaekwad era and continues till today. The Bahucharaji temple is managed by the Gaekwad family.

Continuing the age old tradition the Tazia of Hakimwada in Nagarwada area of city was brought to the Bahucharaji temple and the priest cool down the Tazia. The decades old tradition spread the message of communal harmony in a very unique way where both the communities gathered together for Tazia.

According to the Bahucharaji temple priest Amrish Kumar the tradition started during the time when Sayajirao Gaekwad was the king of Vadodara and Tazia was installed at the Hakim Wada. Hakim Chacha was Hakim of Gaekwad and the Maharaja himself comes to Hakim Wada to pay his respect to the Tazia. This is the only Tazia in Vadodara which is not immersed in the lake to cool it down but instead it was cooled down at the Bahucharaji temple by the priest.

People took out the procession and reached the Bahucharaji temple in Karelibaug area and which is managed by the Shrimant Maharaja Gaekwad Devasthan trust. After reached there the priest of the temple sprinkled rise petals, attar, Kesar, and holy water to cool it down.

Then the priest offered the coconut as a Bhog and finished the puja. After that the Tazia was taken to Ajwa road Karbala Maidan and buried there. The tradition continues for the last 150 years and still going strong.

Hakim Wada trustee Imran Bhojani said that they kept the tradition as it is and on the day of Muharram the youngsters wear black clothes and took out the procession and reached the temple. After that the priest of the temple cool down the Tazia and as per the tradition it was buried at the Karbala ground at Ajwa road.

The tradition is still going strong and it spreads the message of communal harmony among the two communities.