In an example of communal harmony, a temple in Tirur in Kerala’s Malappuram district called off its festival celebrations to mourn the death of an elderly Muslim man in the locality. The Thrippangod Beeranchira Punnassery temple suspended their thalappoli celebration out of respect for Cheratil Haider Ali. Thalappoli is a ritual in temple festivals where there is showcasing of art forms and a procession where women and children carry lighted lamps and thalam (plate) filled with rice.
Ali was a timber merchant and lived close to the temple and had a good relationship with temple committee members. While the temple festival celebrations had started a few days ago, after Ali passed away on February 11, the celebrations stopped as soon as the temple committee came to know of it. The committee announced that celebrations were suspended in order to mark respect and mourning for Ali. The temple committee members also visited the house of the deceased.
Appreciating the act, the Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "In Tirur, Kerala, communal harmony and brotherhood reigned when a temple called off its festivities and celebrations on hearing of the death of an elderly Muslim person in the area. Everything was switched off immediately and celebrants rushed to condole the death:
It was learnt that Ali was a respected person in the locality and had a good relationship with everyone.
In the past, Malappuram has seen other examples of communal harmony as well. In January 2021, a Christian woman's last rites were held at the Ponnad Thahlimul Islam Higher Secondary Madrassa. Her body was also kept at the Madrassa overnight due to lack of facilities in her house.
In October 2020, Parathakad Juma Masjid, a mosque, donated land for a temple located in Muthuvallur Panchayat of Malappuram. This helped build a proper road to the temples so that devotees could reach there. The pathway benefited the devotees of the temple, which is located on a small hill, as well as 10 families who live in a Dalit colony nearby.