Sambhal (UP), Feb 15 (PTI) Tamanna Malik, a Muslim woman, was welcomed with chants of Har Har Mahadev when she returned home here from an over 170-km kanwar yatra to Haridwar with the gangajal, fulfilling a vow she had taken more than three years ago.
On Sunday, on Mahashivratri, a burqa-clad Malik offered the water from the Ganga to Lord Shiva at the Kshem Nath Temple of Sambhal.
The Badanpur Basai village native had married Aman Tyagi, a Hindu from the same village, three and a half years ago. The couple since has two sons from the marriage, Aryan and Daksh, aged two and one.
Earlier, as interfaith obstacles lay before her, Malik vowed that she would do a 'jalabhishek' if she marries Tyagi.
The couple eloped from the village, got married, and returned only a year ago.
"My husband has supported me completely, and people welcomed me by showering flowers at many places. People of Sanatan Dharma welcomed us in many places, and those who are protesting are ignoran. Why should we pay any attention to them!" Malik told reporters in Sambhal.
On her choice of clothing, she said, "I used to wear a burqa earlier also, why does anyone have any problem with that?"
Malik had left for Haridwar with her husband on February 10 and returned to her village the next day.
"We both brought the kanwar from Haridwar. Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Sanatani people have helped a lot in the entire yatra. Many people from Amroha and Noorpur also walked with us," Tyagi, a Hindu, said.