This Ram devotee was born a Muslim

Saturday January 01, 2011 02:40:26 PM, IANS

Patna: He is called Hanuman because of his devotion towards Lord Ram. He can name all the Hindu gods and goddesses in a single breath, and he performs the priest's duties at a Bihar temple with unwavering dedication - no one can tell that Sidheswar Das was born Mohammad Sadique.

Born in a Muslim family, Mohammad Sadique developed an interest in Hindu religion when he was quite young. Today, in his 80s, he is the chief priest at Ram-Janki temple in Arwal district's Sohsa village.

"I adopted Hindu faith decades ago. I look after the temple and perform prayers everyday. Now my life is a temple. I have faith in Lord Ram, I was born to worship him," Mohammad Sadique turned Sidheswar Das told IANS over phone.

Vinay Singh, a villager, says that Sidheswar Das is respected by everyone in the village.

"He spends most of his time offering prayers and reeling off names of Hindu gods and goddesses. His devotion and commitment to look after the temple made him a saint," he says.

Another villager, Mahesh Prasad, says that some people call him Ram devotee and others call him Hanuman for his devotion.

"Everyday, he performs all the rituals of a priest, including aarti and distributing sweets among devotees. He is a rare priest," Prasad said.

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