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Love, they say, is beyond borders. Beyond brackets that the brutes in the world would want us to follow. Beyond boundaries that confine us in shackles, otherwise. But, unfortunately, we don’t do as much as we say! In a clear distinction of sorts, the society we live in (which should ideally look out for us) mocks any idea of love that it is not familiar with. Blame it on regressive thinking or the misplaced reverence for culture, love sometimes fights a lonely battle!
But then hope happens, and mere mortals like us brim up with expectations of a tomorrow, better than today. And while the world is filled with naysayers, people who see a silver lining in a cloud are my favourite kind.
While we are still at it, meet love birds, Faiz Rehman who married Ankita Agarwal in not one but four unique ways that actually proves, love conquers all. For a story so beautiful, the journey that the duo has gone through is one for the books.Â
The duo met during their MBA in a premiere institute and fell in love at first sight, little did they know life had a roller-coaster in store, waiting for them. While Faiz belonged to a progressive Muslim family, Ankita came from a typical Agarwal household that didn’t fancy the idea of an inter-religious marriage.
Their biggest concern? The cultural differences, the fact that a Muslim can marry four times and practice polygamy! Like any other parents, Ankita’s flinched every time she spoke of her future with Faiz.
So much so that the now-happily married couple had to undergo two years of convincing Ankita’s father that met with nothing but rejection. Until the day Faiz decided that he is going to get the girl of his dreams. And how!
In a blog post that makes for a great Bollywood script, Ankita has now penned their magical love story and even magical weddings that will restore your faith in love. She recollects,
“The boyfriend, unannounced rings my doorbell, taking my Papa completely by surprise. My mom turned red, she did not know whether to make ‘chai’ or run inside the room and burst out crying. Papa, very calmly, went inside, changed out of his home clothes into something more formal. I was terrified but knew that we could not have postponed this further. Then there was a long monologue by my boyfriend – explaining how he will not convert my religion or change my name or make me eat non-veg or make me follow his culture or make me wear a burkha or marry anyone else or whatever other doubts my parents expressed in the last 2 years. He ended by saying he will pamper me as much as my Papa did as he knew that he could not pamper me more!
At this point in time, any Bollywood movie would have shown a teary-eyed Dad get up from the sofa and hug the hero, but that did not happen in my story. My Dad asked my boyfriend to leave (respectfully so), promising him that he will never ever be part of this marriage or our lives if we decided to live it together. I was crying of course, but not because I had to choose. I had made my choice 2 years back already when I had told my parents. I was crying because I had somehow wished to magically change my Dad’s 50 years of thinking in that one meeting, but we failed. We, however, realised that it was time to step on the peddle and accelerate our lives out of this everyday emotional drama that had engulfed us all.
On the fateful day of 17th February, Faiz and Ankita exchanged varmalas in a no-mangni-pat-biah and it was only the beginning.Â
A day after, the duo got married for the second time, under the Special Marriage Act which doesn’t allow Muslims to marry four times.Â
“My Dad does sound like the Amrish Puri of DDLJ, but he is as emotional as the Anupam Kher of DDLJ. He was adamant of not being a part of our wedding, but he agreed to send my Mom and brother to be a part of it!.
The day had arrived. Too many people were meeting too many people for the first time. The parents were more nervous than us. What would they say to each other? Salaam Valekum or Namaste? But once they met, it did not matter. They hugged, they laughed and the wedding ceremony was as simple and endearing as it could be. He filled my maang with Sindoor, put mangal sootra around my neck and yes, we were officially and legally married! We missed my father, but knew that time was the biggest healer.
For their third and fourth, the beautiful couple decided to take a two-day trip to Goa, to sing, dance and etch their names in the top ranks for the ‘best wedding ever’ category.
“The vision was, if nothing conventional has happened in our love-story till now, why end it in a conventional way? Even though we were technically married in court a month before the celebrations, both me and Faiz wanted to celebrate our togetherness with pomp with our closest friends.
The functions were spread over 2 days: on 14th morning we started with Sangeet and Mehendi function, followed by Nikaah Ceremony. Nikaah was a funny story in itself. As a bride, I was looking forward to saying the words ‘Qubool hai’, but the Qazi had methods of his own. My signature was deemed enough of a ‘Razamandi’ and he did not find it necessary for me to say ‘Qubool hai’. I was furious and somehow passed on the message to Faiz on the other side of the ‘Parda’, that he better not mess this one up! And after a lot of persuasion, the Qazi finally agreed and I got to say ‘Qubool Hai’!
After the Nikaah, the couple took beachside pheras and the pictures are every bit dreamy!
 “It was followed by the most beautiful and much awaited morning of our lives – getting married right on the beach! With my closest girls holding a flowing dupatta on my head, I slowly made my way to the most beautiful mandap I had seen in my life.
After an hour of laughs and jokes and ‘reeti-riwaaz’, we were finally married in all possible ways!
“If you did not notice, I could not contain my happiness.”
The marriage was followed by some perfect clicks on the beach with all our friends!
It has been 2 years since this spectacular time, and by God’s grace, both our families have happily accepted our union. We get to stuff ourselves with ghee-filled aloo parathas at my home or finger-licking sevai at his!
So that’s how my Muslim husband got married 4 times, but yes every time with the same lucky girl.
Now, that’s a story isn’t it? Wish you an eternity of togetherness, Faiz and Ankita. Thank you, for restoring our faith in unadulterated love.
Read the entire blog post here.
The post has been edited for readability and brevity
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