Khandwa: During a religious ceremony at the Mahadevgarh temple complex, Azad Pathan embraced Sanatan Dharma, a process known as ‘Ghar Wapsi’ and adopted the new name Ajay Kashyap. The event featured rituals conducted according to Vedic traditions, including a ceremonial bath, ‘Yajna’ (sacred fire ritual), ‘Puja’ (worship), and ‘Aarti’.
According to reports, the Ghar Wapsi ceremony began with a ritual performed by Rohan Sen to symbolically cleanse Azad of his previous religious identity. Subsequently, under the guidance of Pandit Harsh Sharma, a ritual bath, a ‘Yajna’ ceremony and a special ‘Aarti’ dedicated to Bhagwan Bholenath (Shiva) were conducted. Following the religious rituals, Azad took a solemn vow to adopt Sanatan Dharma and announced his new name, Ajay Kashyap.
Sharing details about the Ghar Wapsi event, Ashok Paliwal stated that Ajay Kashyap (formerly Azad Pathan) spoke about his family background. He explained that his mother, Rani, came from a financially disadvantaged family and used to sell roasted chickpeas, peanuts, and other items on trains to make a living. It was during this time that she met Shafiq Pathan and the two eventually married.
According to Ajay, after the marriage, his mother faced pressure to convert her religion and endured various forms of harassment. However, she never abandoned her original religious beliefs. Ajay claimed that after living through years of hardship, his mother decided to separate and divorced Shafiq Pathan approximately six years ago.
It was reported that after the divorce, Rani raised both her children on her own. Family associates noted that she also introduced her children to Sanatan traditions and values; notably, her daughter was married into a Patel family.
Following the event at the Mahadevgarh temple complex, Ajay Kashyap expressed his faith in Sanatan Dharma and pledged to lead his life in accordance with its religious traditions. The program concluded with an ‘Aarti’ dedicated to Lord Shiva, the distribution of ‘Prasad’ and a collective blessing ceremony.
Attendees at the event emphasised the importance of religious freedom and the right to personal faith, stating that every individual has the freedom to practice a religion according to their own wishes and beliefs. A large number of devotees and local residents were present at this ‘Ghar Wapsi’ ceremony, which was conducted amidst religious rituals.
