Following the conversion of six Muslim families to Hinduism in Danodha Kalan village in Haryana's Jind district, 40 other families of the Muslim community on Friday announced their decision to convert to Hinduism in Bithmara village of Uklana block of the district.
Over 250 members of 40 Muslim families from Hisar have decided to convert their religion and performed the last rites of an 80-year old woman, according to Hindu customs.
Muslim families convert
According to the sources, these Bithmara families have social relations with the families in Danodha Kalan. They all belong to the Mirasi Muslim community and work as doms or the traditional singers.
The decision by the new set of families to embrace Hinduism came after the demise of 80-year old Phoolam Devi; whose son Satbir Ahlawat informed that his family cremated the body as per Hindu rituals and that they have decided to change their religion.
"In official documents, we are Doms who are Scheduled Caste Hindus. Barring cremation, we have been following the socio-religious activities of the Hindus," said Ahlawat.
He also added that there were nearly 250 members in the families who had been following the tradition of burying the dead as per Islam. "But we have decided to do away with that tradition as well and decided to cremate the body of my mother as per Hindu traditions."
Hindu ancestors for the Muslims
Ahlawat and the other members belong to the Dom caste, were forced to embrace Islam under pressure during the time Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. He claims that his ancestors were all Hindus, who later got converted to Islam.
He also said that they never visit a mosque and, surprisingly, the village doesn't have a mosque.
According to Satish Patar, another villager, there have never been any fissures on communal lines in the village before and after the mass religious conversion.
"These people earn a living by working in the fields and by singing traditional 'saangs'. If they have decided to convert to Hinduism, we welcome their decision. But there is no pressure on them to do so," he said.
Additionally, the entire village also reportedly celebrates the Hindu festivals.
