Jalgaon (Maharashtra)

In a heart-warming incident, a Hindu family took charge of the last rites of 'Khan Baba', a Muslim artisan who came to them as an employee 80 years ago and became family.

The incident happened in the Yawal city of the Jalgaon district, where a Muslim artisan who lived like a shadow with a Hindu family for 80 years, and died of old age at 100, sought to be treated as their own and organise his funeral procession from their house to the cemetery.

This is the story of Kayyum Khan Nur Khan, whom the Deore-Sonar family of Yawal affectionately called 'Khan Baba'.

Kayyum Khan came to work as a goldsmith artisan for Ashok Deore-Sonar at the age of 20. Since then, for 80 years, he remained an inseparable part of this family.

Members of the Deore-Sonar family having last gimpses Khan Baba's face

As he lived with the jeweller family, the relations changed from employer-employee to Kayyum Khan became a pillar of this household. Till his last breath at 100 years, he maintained a bond with the Deore family.

Khan Baba breathed his last due to old age. As soon as the news of his demise came, the Deore family felt devastated. Family’s next generations - grandchildren, and sons-in-law – who were in Pune and Mumbai for education or work, immediately rushed to Yawal to bid a final farewell to their beloved Baba.

Although Khan Baba's original family lived in the Qazipura area and his nephews, Sadiq Khan and Zakir Khan, were preparing for the funeral, the Deore family made an emotional request.

Funeral procession of Khan Baba

Ashok Deore, Jyoti Deore, and Rishi Deore requested the Khan family to arrange for the funeral of Khan Baba. They informed his relatives that, since Khan Baba had spent most of his life with them, his funeral procession should begin from their house.

They also requested a day so that family members travelling from Pune and Mumbai could catch a glimpse of the final event.

 The Khan family respected this love, and on Wednesday morning, Khan Baba's funeral procession left from the threshold of a Hindu home according to Muslim customs.

The sight of this funeral procession brought tears to the eyes of everyone present. Members of the Sonar family shouldered Khan Baba's coffin and took the initiative during the burial at the graveyard.

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Not only this, but the Hindu family also completed the ritual of offering a supurd e khak as required by Islamic tradition.