New Delhi

Hukkeri, a quaint town on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border in Belagavi district of Karnataka, witnessed a unique marriage on February 8. A Muslim couple arranged the wedding of their adopted Hindu son and solemnised it as per the customs of his community - the Veerashaiva Lingayat sect of Hinduism.

Mehboob and Noorjehan Naikwadi of village Bastavada had adopted Somashekar Pujeri and his younger brother Vasant 20 years ago after the death of their parents. Somashekhar was four years old and his brother just 2 year old.

Their parents died in a road accident, and they had no immediate relatives.

Naikwadi was a friend of Shivanand Kadayya Pujeri, the father of Somashekar and Vasant.

Somasekhar Pujeri and Poonam

Initially, friends of the deceased persons tried to search for some relatives who could take care of the boys, but the efforts were in vain.

Finally, Naikwadi couple adopted them even though they had their five biological children. The couple raised them as Hindus and ensured they go to school and college.

Somashekar, a BSc graduate, is working with an aviation company in Belagavi.

Union of harmony: Muslim couple from Belagavi hold adopted son’s wedding according to Veerashaiva Lingayat rituals. Mehboob Hasan Naikwadi, a retired KSRTC driver, and his wife Noor Jahan, organised the marriage of their adopted son Somashekar Pujeri with Poonam.… pic.twitter.com/lN8yI5QgBN

— LINGAYATH OFFICIAL (@AkhandLINGAYATH) February 11, 2026

When Somasekhar reached marriageable age, the Naikwadi couple began looking for alliances.

Following a reference, they went to Tanwad, a village in Gadhinglaj taluk in Maharashtra, along with a delegation of family friends from Hukkeri. They chose Poonam, who comes from a Veerashaiva Lingayat family.

Naikwadi, who is in his 70s, told reporters in Hukkeri that he is looking forward to the wedding of Vasant, his other adopted son.

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“I do not think there is anything special in what my wife and I have done. I believe that all the people in this country are brothers and sisters. I am happy that these children grew up in my house, got educated, and found jobs on their own. I will leave this world, satisfied that I have done my job,’’ he said.