Bhubaneswar: Muslim scholar Shiekh Maqbul Islam from Kolkata has authored many books on Lord Jagannath. He has been researching on Jagannath culture for the last 33 years. A devotee of Lord Jagannath, he has been awarded by Shankaracharya in presence of Gajapati Maharaj for his works on Lord Jagannath.
Prof Maqbul Islam is also a devotee of Lord Jagannath. He sometimes even wears a little bit sandalwood paste on his forehead and wears dhoti and pyjama.
Reportedly, he loves Jagannath culture and worships Lord Jagannath every morning. Once someone asked about his feeling over not allowing people of other religeons to Srimandira and he said that when the Lord comes out during Rath Yatra, the whole world gets his darshan.
Prog Maqbul has reportedly received Nabakalebara award for his research work on Lord Jagannath.
Reports suggest, he is a Professor of Bengali language of St. Paul’s College in Kolkata. He is an expert of Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.
Lord Jagannath is the Lord of the Universe. It seems is not bothered about religion, for him devotion matters. We have example of Bhakta Salabega, who though was a Muslim, he became a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. There is also legends that once during Rath Yatra the chariot of Lord Jagannath did not go ahead despite much effort because Bhakta Salabega was on his way to Badadanda and he was yet to come. Salabega has authored many couplets which are the widely sung and most popular devotional songs dedicated to Lord Jagannath.
Prog Maqbul is also a Muslim, but like the great legend Bhakta Salabega, he is also a devotee of Lord Jagannath and a scholar of Jagannath culture.
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