Tribal People, Christians and Muslims believe Mother Mary saved them
The annual pilgrimage at Bot-Tola (Andarkota Parish, Rajshahi Diocese) gather Christians and Muslims together
Rajshahi (AsiaNews) Villagers from Bot-Tola still believe that Mother Mary saved them in 1971 from the hands of the Pakistani Armies. In memory of this miraculous event, a pilgrimage takes place at Bot-Tola village each year. This year about 3 thousand people from nearby villages and parishes joined the Holy Mass celebrated on Jan. 16. Fr. John Judu Roy, together with other 10 priests, offered the mass.
Bot-Tolais a Santal village, is located about 15 km from Rajshahi Bishop's House. People from villages started to come to Bot-tola early in the morning on foot, ignoring the cold wave of weather.
Mr. Carlus Marandy, Bot-Tola village catechist (age 47), explained the history pilgrimage to AsiaNews. During liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, Pakistani Armies killed many people. Many people took refuge in India. But the villagers of Bot-Tola did not escape. At that time Mr. Louis Soren and Mr. Lakhon Victor Hasdak were the village leaders and catechist. They all agreed that if someone would realize that the Pakistani Armies were entering the Bot-Tola area, then the village church's bell would be rung.
On a Monday morning of October 1971 (Mr. Carlus could not remember the exact date), people saw that the Armies were coming toward their village. Mr. Lakhon rang the church bell and almost all the villagers took refuge into the mud-made church. The Armies searched out few elderly people who were not able to come to church because of their weakness. These people were put on a firing line.
The people in the church were praying to Our Lady. Armies were about to fire, but suddenly they put down their arms and let the people free. They entered the church and questioned the young people there, to be sure they were not freedom fighters. Some soldiers were trying to set villagers' homes on fire . All the houses had mud-made walls and paddy straws roofs. Surprisingly, no house was burnt. The Armies lighted torches and threw them on the roof, but only the torch burned not any house.
Since this incident happened in 1971, every year Bot-Tola people celebrate the pilgrimage as people from other villages join in the event.
According to Mr. Carlus many Muslims also took refuge in the church and their children use to join them on the pilgrimage along with Christians each year.
The pilgrim mass started with procession at 10:00 am. Father Ignatius Costa, the parish priest of Andharkota parish, welcomed all. Bot-Tola is a village of Andharkota Parish in Rajshahi Catholic Diocese. Father Patrick Gomes said in his homily: "The event is held in one day, but we should try to hold to its value each day in our lives. Till now we have many internal enemies, who are trying to destroy our societies and ourselves. By praying to Our Mother Mary, we can conquer these enemies."
After the mass many people went to the Grotto of Mary and offered their prayers.
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