Please note, the intention here is not to embarrass the girl or her family. Rather, this should serve as a warning to Mair Rajput parents and to children. Falling in love is easy. But being in love is a two-way street. Giving up one's religion, or "converting," for the sake of love is highly questionable. Anyone who truly loves someone will not want that person to give up their religion. To believe in sayings such as "love is blind," etc. is the height of naivete.

Here is the direct link to the story. (The same article is below.)

The girl's first name has been removed.

And they lived happily ever after

By Tirtho Banerjee

The Times of India News Service

KANPUR: This is straight out of a fairy tale book. Boy meets girl, they fall in love and marry only to be separated, are reunited and then they live happily ever after.

A. Karwal, 22, a Sikh girl, married Mohhammad Owais, 28, a Muslim, clandestinely on January 27 last year. Soon after a habeas corpus writ was filed by the girl's father, and she was taken, against her will, to Ontario, Canada, by her uncle.

In what turned out to be a sheer stroke of luck, a desperate and hapless Owais traced her out with the help of a Canadian reporter, Mark Stevenson, whom he met on the Internet. Eventually, after many twists and turns, A. was finally reunited with him.

Today, Owais's parents have accepted A. However, the girl's family is yet to show a conciliatory gesture. And this makes A. unhappy. In a choked voice she says, ``It's difficult. You can't please everybody. I converted myself to Islam to be accepted by my in-laws but my own father and mother don't understand me.''

A., now called Zeenat Fatima, is expecting her first child next month. She is hoping that the arrival of their grandchild would make her parents yield. Owais is unhappy not only because of his in-laws' attitude but also because Anu, that's how he addresses her, often sobs silently overcome by their situation.

``Anu has mingled very well with my family. Everyone, including my father, is fond of her,'' he says, adding that she tried to pick up Urdu but gave up after sometime.

Their trials have helped the young couple look at life in a mature way. A. avers that stability in a relationship is crucial; Owais nods in agreement. Both believe love is unconditional and that marriage is union of two souls. ``I can bear any pain for her sake but I do not want that she should be troubled in any way,'' says Owais. Perhaps that is why, despite his in-laws' aloofness, he still respects them because, after all, ``they are my wife's parents''.

A. realises that ``our child is our future''. Both are determined to give their child the freedom to choose and believe in his or her conviction. They would always support their child and respect its feelings.

Owais has another problem on his hands: he has to start his business afresh. He used to run a computer institute. But had to sell his computers and his prized scooter to fight the case against A.'s Canada-based uncle to secure her release. But he is determined to succeed.

For A. it is hard because they miss out on their Sundays. ``When he goes out to work on Sundays, I feel quite lost. But then, his job is important.'' After all that they have gone through, they shrug this off as a small price.