Kerala mosque turns venue for Hindu wedding

Cheravally Jamaat Masjid in Kayamkulam on Sunday hosted a Hindu wedding on its premises, complete with a vegetarian feast including two payasam for 4,000 people. People cutting across religions attended the event while the jamaat committee met all its expenses.

Sarath Sasi of Kappil Kizhakku, Kayamkulam and Anju Ashok Kumar tied the knot on the mosque premises, with a Hindu priest leading the rituals. The couple later entered the mosque and sought the blessings of chief imam Riyasudeen Faizy.

Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the wedding was as an example of unity from Kerala. . “Congratulations to the newlyweds, families, mosque authorities and people of Cheravally,” he said in a tweet.

“The committee also gave Anju 10 sovereign gold and Rs 2 lakh as wedding gift besides home equipment like TV and fridge,” said Nujumudeen Alummoottil, secretary of Cheravally Muslim Jamaat Committee. He said he knew Anju’s father personally, and wanted to help the family after the father passed away.

Nujumudeen said Anju is also the first woman to enter the mosque. “All religions teach people to love and care for others. Those lessons led to this wedding,” he said.