Shervani gharara batua paandaan to Muslim couple, lehnga kataar mukut to Hindu couple

They were serving life term in prison and their children in the outside world attained marriageable age. The marriages were fixed in jail.

Like son of a prisoner married to daughter of another prisoner so that none of the children would ever have to bear the stigma of being called convict's son or daughter as both husband and wife would be son (or daughter) of jail inmates.

But Haroon Khan couldn't have ever imagined attending his daughter Zeenat's marriage and the jail authorities decided to hold the wedding on jail premises so that he and other prisoners like him could participate in it.

Zeenat was married to Javed (son of another convict lodged in jail ) and the entire jail administration, minister and bureaucrats were all present to bless them. The employees of jail decorated the prison and were like baraat.

Similarly, Sarita's marriage was solemnised with Kishor, both also children of convicts. Qazi came for nikaah while pundit conducted the marriage of the Hindu couple. Many other couples were also married. All of them had their fathers in jail and they couldn't have imagined that the confines would turn into a place of celebration for the entire family.

Interestingly, apart from basic household goods like utensils, kitchenware and television set the Hindu and Muslim couple got gifts as per their tradition from government. Batua, Paandaan, Gharaara, Shalwar Suits to Muslim couples and Mukut, Kataar, Saari, Tika to Hindus.

The feast was also held and the band played tunes. It was such an unbelievable event that even after years I would feel genuinely happy recalling the event.