By Matters India Reporter
Varanasi, April 10, 2025: A blood donation camp was organized in Varanasi to strengthen harmony between various religions in the holiest city of Hinduism.
Indian Missionary Society Father Anand Mathew, director of Souhard Peace Centre who was one of the organizers, said the April 6 program jointly celebrate the feasts of Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Muslim that occur during March and April.
The camp was held on Ramnavmi day of the Hindus at Revadi Talab Park, an area of the city thickly populated by Muslims of the weaver community.
The spring season also marks Holi, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Mahavir Jayanti, Baisakhi, Buddh Poornina, Ambedkar Jayanti, Good Friday and Easter.
“This unique blood donation camp is to celebrate the festivals in a meaningful manner beneficial to the common people.
The camp was organized jointly by Souhard Peace Centre, Manav Rakt Foundation and Veer Abdul Hamid Foundation in collaboration with Popular Blood Bank, a wing of Popular Hospital in Varanasi.
Sheelchand Kujur, a Catholic layman involved in social welfare activities, and a member of the Child Welfare Committee of Varanasi, was the first to donate blood as the camp began at 11:30 am.
Kujur said he was happy to donate his blood in preparation for Good Friday and in veneration to Jesus Christ who shed his blood for humankind.
Abu Hashmi, president of Manav Rakt Foundation, while donating his blood, said Varanasi witnessed six “unfortunate events of communal disharmony in March. In three incidents, unsocial elements attacked Muslims with blades.
The Muslim lawyer said the camp was an attempt to respond to such attacks by “selflessly giving blood for saving human life.” One person can save three other lives by giving blood, he added.
Karunakar Tiwary, a student of Uday Pratap College, Varanasi, donated blood and said he was proud to donate it every three months. He said he would be happy if the blood is transfused to people of other religions as this will strengthen communal amity and harmony.
Anis Ahmad, the secretary of Veer Abdul Hamid Foundation, told Matters India that he was donating blood for the first time and intended to do it regularly and encourage others to do the same.
Pramod Singh, an activist who has donated blood 132 times expressed happiness over the celebration of multi-faith feasts through this unique manner of blood donation.
Professor Ravi Gupta of Pandit Deendayal Post Graduate College in Sewapuri, who inaugurated the camp, applauded the organizers for promoting interfaith harmony in a unique manner.
Manorama, coordinator of Popular Blood Bank appealed to the people present to create more awareness on the need of blood donation so as to help patients who suffer from thalassemia and cancer. She gave certificates and medals to the donors.
Abdullah Khalid, a lawyer and secretary of Manav Rakt Foundation, promised to hold periodic blood donation camps in different wards of the city.