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Editors' Choice

28 April 2008
The Indian Express

Muslim couple marries off adopted daughter, calls priest for ‘saat phere'

They had adopted Babita, who was born in a Hindu family, when she was very young
 

VIJAY PRATAP SINGH

ALLAHABAD 

I N a rare example of communal harmony, a Muslim couple solemnised the marriage of their daughter Babita according to the Hindu rituals in Naini area of Trans Yamuna on Friday.

The couple, Ghulam Mohammad and Rashida Begum, had adopted Babita 14 years ago, who was born in a Hindu family. The Muslim couple had only two sons.

Desire for a daughter prompted them to adopt Babita, who was a little girl then. Her father Chander Yadav had died in 1994 and soon after Chander's death, her mother Drupathi Devi also died. However, before Drupathi died, Ghulam and his wife had adopted Babita from her and assured her of treating Babita as her own children.

The Muslim couple, indeed, brought up Babita like their own daughter; in fact, she was a pampered child.

A few months ago, Rashida asked her husband to search for a suitable groom for Babita. They, however, were in a dilemma of where to marry her- in Muslim community to which they belonged, or in a Hindu family in which she was born. Finally, the couple decided to marry her with a Hindu boy and began the difficult search for a suitable groom. Wherever Ghulam, a contractor by profession, went to settle her daughter's marriage, he had to face some uneasy questions. Few Hindus appreci ated the idea of marrying a girl was brought up in a Muslim family. His search, however, ended when Ganga Prasad Yadav, a resident of Barauli village under Ghoorpur police station, agreed to marry his son Babloo Yadav with Babita.

Ghulam's family carefully ensured that all Hindu rituals were observed in the wedding. The marriage was preceded by a ring ceremony, and marriage cards were distributed as per the Hindu tradition. The wedding card had a picture of Lord Ganesha, as is customary among Hindus.

Ghulam Mohammad was mentioned as the girl's father in the card.

Over 2, 000 people were invited to the wedding, which was solemnised in Ghulam's own residence, not a rented hall or a hotel. Everyone in his family participated enthusiastically. A purohit solemnised the marriage. The ritual of ‘saat pheres' was also performed. To uphold the sanctity of the marriage, Ghulam requested a Hindu couple Dhyanchandra Kuswaha and his wife to perform the ‘Kanya Daan' as, being a Muslim, he could not undertake the ceremony.

When Ghulam and his wife performed the ‘vidai', even his neighbours turned emo tional. Much against his own tradition, Ghulam also gifted the new-wed couple the necessary household items.

While ensuring all Hindu rituals, however, Ghulam also ensured his own Muslim tradition of simplicity was observed. There was no pomp and show. "Photography and marriage revelry are not allowed in our religion and that was why we avoided them," said Ghulam.

Notably, he doesn't think that he has done some something extraordinary. "It was the marriage of my daughter and I did what every father has been doing since ages," said Ghulam.

 
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