Religious Harmony in Desa Mendowo
📌 Desa Mendowo in Kediri Regency, East Java, is home to a harmonious coexistence of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities.
🤝 Community members actively support each other's religious events; for instance, Banser members and Christian youth attend Hindu Piodalan ceremonies.
⛪ Leaders emphasize mutual respect, noting that figures from all religious backgrounds attend ceremonies at other houses of worship, such as churches or Hindu temples.

Demographics and Community Structure
📊 Desa Mendowo has a total population of 3,885, with 637 Hindus, 2,829 Muslims, and 423 Christians.
🏘️ Despite being majority Muslim, daily life heavily emphasizes "gotong royong" (mutual cooperation), transcending religious affiliations during communal activities like building construction.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Historical context suggests deep roots of tolerance, with potentially one family containing members of different faiths dating back to the 1980s.

Practical Examples of Mutual Support
🏗️ When constructing sacred places (e.g., a church), Muslim and Hindu community members contribute labor and materials.
🤲 Conversely, when Hindu temples are built or during Muslim rituals, members of other faiths actively participate in helping with construction and providing aid.
💖 The core principle maintained is mutual respect and prioritizing community solidarity over group identity when working toward collective goals.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Religious leaders from all faiths are committed to continually inviting congregations to live in peace and harmony, aligning with national principles like Pancasila.
➡️ The foundational teaching across all recognized Indonesian religions is the principle of love/compassion and respecting one another.
➡️ The strength of the community lies in prioritizing their identity as "Masyarakat" (society/community) first, rather than by individual religious groups, especially during village events.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 21, 2025, 12:28 UTC