Muslims perform 'Kanyadan' of Hindu girl in riot-hit village

Vadodara: In a heart-warming tale of communal amity, a Muslim man performed 'Kanyadan' of a tribal Hindu girl, Alpa, at a village ravaged during the 2002 post-Godhra riots even as her own relatives stayed away.

The members of the Muslim community living in the Soni locality of Panwad village in Kawant taluka extended a helping hand to Madhuben Rathwa, a tribal widow and the bride's mother, for making the arrangements and playing the host at the wedding earlier this week.

"We decided to help Alpa as she has no brother and her widowed mother is an 'anganwadi' worker. Theirs is the only Hindu tribal family in the Muslim-dominated Soni locality of the village," a villager Farid Soni said.

With the fellow villagers Vallibhai Patel, Rehman Soni, Rasul Tailor and others, Farid shouldered the responsibility of taking care of the 'Baraatis' who came from Vav village for Alpa's marriage with Rajesh Rathwa.

"We also presented her jewellery and other household items. The entire expenditure over these was borne by members of our community," he said.

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Acknowledging their generosity, Madhuben said, "The marriage ceremony of my daughter could not have taken place without the help from the members of the Muslim community as my own relatives stayed away. This may be due to my staying in this locality of the village".

"It was a most enjoyable event and we were very excited about Alpa getting married. Members of our community wholeheartedly participated in it," said Rehman, delighted at the ceremony passing off smoothly.

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The village was torn by communal strife in 2002 after the Godhra train carnage and several Muslim families had to flee the frenzy when tribals caused heavy damage to their properties.

Though no one died in the communal flare-up in Panwad, the wounds took years to heal. .