Kerala mosque hosts Hindu wedding

Minutes after the call to mid-day prayer went out last Sunday, the courtyard of Juma Masjid at Cheravally in Kerala's Alappuzha district turned into a venue for a traditional Hindu wedding.

A nilavilakku (traditional lamp) with seven wicks was lit on the makeshift mandap and wedding mantras were recited by a Hindu priest as Mr Sarath Sasidharan tied the knot around Ms Anju Ashokan's neck with the mosque's committee members and scores of Muslim men and women standing as witnesses.

After the rituals, the mosque's committee members hosted a lunch for about 1,000 guests, including politicians from across party lines, reported The Indian Express.

Ms Anju lost her father, Ashokan, two years ago. Since then, her mother, Bindu, had been struggling to raise money for her daughter's wedding.

A few weeks ago, she approached the local mosque for financial help at the suggestion of her neighbour Najumudeen Alummoottil, the secretary of the Cheruvally Jamaath committee.

Mrs Bindu did not worry about religious differences when she sought assistance, and the Jamaath was willing to help.

The committee decided to bear the wedding expenses.

Its member, P. Nazir, contributed 10 gold sovereigns and Rs2 lakh ($3,800) towards the wedding expenses.

Worshippers, who came for Friday prayers last week, were asked to help and they too lent their support.

The gates of the mosque were decorated in traditional Hindu style. Before the auspicious time for the wedding, Muslim women ushered in the bride and bridegroom.

"The wedding took place according to Hindu rituals," Mr Najumudeen told the Press Trust of India.

"I've helped their younger child study. This time, the request was given to the mosque committee as the expenses for a wedding are quite high. The committee decided to assist the family.

"Bindu is staying in a rented house with her three children. I have a jewellery shop in Kayamkulam and I knew Anju's father, Ashokan, who was a goldsmith. He died of cardiac arrest at the age of 49 on March 14, 2018, after dropping his son, Anand, at the Kayamkulam Boys' High School for his SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) examination. Anand wrote the exam without knowing about Ashokan's demise.

"I visited the family after reading about it in the newspaper. I also extended some help then."

Both Ms Anju and her sister, Amritha, quit studies after completing their higher secondary education due to financial constraints, reported The Times of India. Anand is in higher secondary now.

Mr Najumudeen said Ms Anju is the first Hindu woman to enter the mosque.

"All religions teach people to love and care for others. Those lessons led to this wedding," he said.

The wedding is being lauded as an example of the communal amity that prevails in Kerala. It was organised in traditional Hindu style.

The bride, draped in a pink and gold sari, exchanged garlands with the groom, who was clad in a white shirt and mundu.

A ceremonial tent was set up to welcome visitors.

Bindu was lost for words to express her gratitude to the Jamaath.

She and her husband sold their house and land in Kayamkulam 17 years ago to meet their expenses.

"I have joined a private firm as a cleaner for a salary of Rs 7,000," she said.

"The rent of our present house near Cheravally temple is Rs2,500 and we are somehow meeting our monthly expenses. I did not have any other means to conduct the wedding and I sought Najumudeen's help."

Soon after the wedding, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to Facebook to congratulate the newly-married couple and said the state has always showcased such beautiful examples of religious harmony.

"Best wishes to the bride, family members and mosque committee, to all who worked for this. Kerala is one; we can say louder that we are single - with these good hearts," read his post.

The post went viral and netizens reacted to it with heartwarming gestures and blessings.

"Kerala sets the vision of future India," wrote one user.

Another netizen said: "Keep it up Keralians. Now we know that Kerala is not only the most literate state but also the most educated state."

Indo-Asian News Service

"All religions teach people to love and care for others. Those lessons led to this wedding."

- Secretary of the Cheruvally Jamaath committee Mr Najumudeen Alummoottil

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