Sufi Dar: An interfaith temple in Chennai that serves ‘Iftar’ to Muslims during Ramadan

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

Here’s a heartwarming story of compassion, faith, and unity that shines brightly from India!

In the heart of Chennai, an interfaith spiritual center called Sufi Dar has been serving Iftar to Muslim devotees during the holy month of Ramadan—for nearly 40 years.

As the sun sets at Wallajah Mosque in Triplicane, an inspiring scene unfolds. Every evening, volunteers from Sufi Dar, located in Mylapore, arrive at the Big Mosque carrying food for those observing the Ramadan fast. Respectfully wearing traditional Muslim caps, they assist the fasting devotees by distributing dates and water bottles to break their long fasts, which can last 13 to 14 hours in this part of the world.

Carrying colorful buckets filled with fresh fruits, milk, cooked rice, sweets, watermelon, dates, and packaged water, the Sufi Dar volunteers ensure that no one breaks their fast alone. “Each day we change the menu,” says Harish Makkar, one of the sevadars (volunteers). “We offer dishes like vegetable biryani, channa rice, pulao, cauliflower rice, and more.”

Every evening, around 1,000 to 1,200 people gather at the mosque for Iftar. Volunteers from Sufi Dar have been serving them with dedication for nearly four decades. “Our Muslim brothers appreciate this gesture,” Harish adds. “We do this as a humble service, believing that compassion has no religion.”

What’s more, any leftover food is not wasted. “We distribute it among the Hindu destitute who gather outside the mosque every evening,” Harish explains. “This way, the circle of giving continues.”

Step inside Sufi Dar, and the spirit of inclusivity is unmistakable. The walls are adorned with images of revered spiritual figures from multiple faiths—Muslim Sufi saints, Hindu sages, Jesus Christ and Mother Mary, Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus, as well as leaders from the Radhasoami and Chidakashi traditions, alongside Sai Baba.

Marble idols of deities such as Lord Ganesh, Lakshmi Narayan, Shiva-Parvati, Radha-Krishna, Lord Ram with Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Durga Mata, and Jhulelal are thoughtfully placed around the space. Every visitor, regardless of faith, finds a welcoming symbol of their own spiritual path here.

This remarkable tradition was started by Dada Ratanchand, a Hindu refugee from Sindh who made Chennai his home after the Partition of India.

The Big Mosque itself, where these Iftar meals are shared, was built by Nawab Mohammad Ali Wallajah, an ancestor of the current Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammad Abdul Ali.

At a time when the world often seems divided, Sufi Dar stands as a beacon of unity—reminding us that love, kindness, and shared humanity can bring people together.

---

Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai

Comments

10,000 students deprived of classes as Ahmedabad school remains shut: MCC writes to Gujarat CM

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) has written to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, urging him to immediately reopen the Seventh Day Adventist School in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, where classes have been suspended for nearly two weeks. The MCC claims that the suspension, following a violent incident, violates the constitutional right to education of thousands of children.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

What mainstream economists won’t tell you about Chinese modernisation

By Shiran Illanperuma China’s modernisation has been one of the most remarkable processes of the 21st century and one that has sparked endless academic debate. Meng Jie (孟捷), a distinguished professor from the School of Marxism at Fudan University in Shanghai, has spent the better part of his career unpacking this process to better understand what has taken place.

Counterview

Search This Blog