M Mishra/Azamgarh

Rajesh Chaurasia, a pan seller in the Alwal area of Azamgarh city in Uttar Pradesh, was in great financial difficulty when he was supposed to take the responsibility of arranging the wedding of his niece.

Not only his neighbours, mostly Muslims who are fasting for the month of Ramazan, helped but one of them, Parvez and his wife Nadira also turned their house as the venue of the wedding.

This is the real story of the people of India who live harmoniously while following their respective religions and being good to each other as friends, neighbours or simply human beings.

Pooja, daughter of Chaurasia’s sister had lost her father to Covid-19 two years ago. In the social milieu they live in, the Uncle took upon the responsibility of the family including finding a match for Pooja and arranging the wedding. Wedding halls cost a bomb and Chaurasia couldn’t afford it. His house was too small for a wedding. At this stage, Parvez and his family offered to hold the wedding in their house. The family also helped in making arrangements and participated in merry-making and ritualistic singing of wedding sons.

The members of Parvez’s family not only enthusiastically decorated the wedding pavilion in the courtyard of the house but the womenfolk also joined others in the night-long singing to wish the newlyweds luck and happiness.

Besides, the family also contributed generously to the expenses of the wedding, including gifting a gold chain to the groom.

Rajesh Chaurasia performing rituals during the wedding ceremony

The bridegroom and his family who hailed from Malhani in neighbouring Jaunpur district were received at Parvez’s house. All the wedding rituals including taking seven circumambulations around the sacred fire by the couple amidst Vedic chants were performed at the same place.

Meanwhile, Hindu and Muslim women sang Mangal geet at night weddings. All this happened as all the members of Parvez ‘s family observed their fasts during this holy month of Ramzan. At the end of the night-long wedding ceremonies and hosting the groom’s family, the guests were happy with the arrangements and hospitality.

Parvez's family members were also satisfied with their contribution to Rajesh Chaurasia being praised by the guests.

Parvez's wife Nadira said she was happy that in the month of Ramzan, her house became the venue for “our daughter’s wedding” and  that it happened with great pomp and show.

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She said that this function was part of the religion of humanity. She said she knew Pooja and her mother well as they visited them often. "I am happy that we could help in arranging the wedding of our daughter Pooja," she said.