By M. Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Gosaigaon/Guwahati: At a time when Bodo and Muslims do not want to see each other, in a small hamlet in Gosaigaon subdivision in Kokrajhar district, I met a Bodo-Bengali Muslim couple.
Habibur Rehman from Sabkata village married a Bodo girl Premika Narzary from the neigbouring Burachara village, who became Farida Beghum after marriage.
What is interesting is that this nuptial was ‘fixed’ and given consent by the village elders after ‘proper investigation.’
Habibur Rahman, with his wife Premika Narzary alias Farida Beghum and their three children.
Habib, who works as lab-technician, had first met his lady love in 2001 and was floored by her charm. As their relationships became known, girl’s father and other village elder-men came to prospective groom’s house to ‘examine and interrogate’ him. When they were ‘satisfied’ with Habib’s response they ‘agreed and finalised the marriage.’
In fact the village headman even gave a “NOC” – No objection certificate - “permitting the girl to convert to Islam” facilitating the wedding. The marriage was finally solemnized on September 20, 2004.
The couple now has three children, two sons and a daughter. They live together with in a joint family set up with in-laws and families of Habib’s brothers.
As Premika alias Farida made tea for us - uninvited guests - she said, “I used to frequent my parents’ house and they also used to come. But after the violence in July, no one could dare go.”
She is, however, happy that her parents can at least call them on mobile phones.
In Assam, this is not uncommon to have nuptials between Muslim and non-Muslims. As in this case if the boy and girl are willing to marry, families ‘fix’ and solemnize it. One phrase I heard from Guwahti to Gosaigaon and Nagaon was that “even today Assam is the most liberal society compare to other parts of India.”
http://twocircles.net/2013jan06/bodomuslim_couple_reminiscence_%E2%80%98good_old_days%E2%80%99.html
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