In Bareilly, district of Uttar Pradesh, Muskaan Saifi, a Muslim woman, did Ghar Wapsi to embrace sanatan dharma and married Rajesh Kumar, a Hindu man, in a temple ceremony on June 30. The couple performed Vedic rituals during their marriage, accompanied by the chants of the Gayatri Mantra. The wedding was solemnised by Acharya Pandit KK Shankhdhar and members of the Hindu rights group.
Muskaan Saifi hails from Delhi’s Sangam Vihar. Her father was originally a Hindu but converted to Islam after marrying a Muslim woman.
Muskaan came in touch with Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Bareilly’s Izzat Nagar, through social media. Their online friendship quickly blossomed into a romantic relationship. Muskaan, 19, and Rajesh, 23, faced familial opposition and numerous constraints in their desire to marry due to their different religious backgrounds.
Undeterred by the challenges, Rajesh continued his efforts to marry Muskaan. He eventually learned about Agastya Muni Ashram, where the couple decided to solemnize their union.
On June 30, the couple arrived at the ashram with their acquaintances and requested Pandit KK Shankhdhar to conduct the wedding rituals. After verifying the necessary documents, including Muskaan’s affidavit confirming her voluntary decision to marry Rajesh and do Ghar Wapsi, Pandit Shankhdhar officiated the ceremony according to Hindu traditions.
Following the marriage, Acharya Pandit KK Shankhdhar and other representatives of Hindu organisations blessed the newlyweds.
After the ghar wapsi ceremony, Muskaan Saifi took the name Khushi.
Rajesh Kumar expressed his happiness at their union, noting the joy they felt in becoming husband and wife. Muskaan stated that she has believed in sanatan dharma since childhood and mentioned that her family were originally Hindus who converted due to various pressures, but she chose to do ghar wapsi.
Muskaan expressed her concerns about the treatment of women in Islam, particularly citing fears of practices such as triple talaq and halala. She expressed her relief and happiness at having done ghar wapsi and marrying Rajesh. Following the marriage, Khushi (formerly Muskaan) has moved into her in-laws’ home, where she has settled happily.
