A wedding in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district is being talked about for the message it carries about love beyond physical limitations. In Muksudpur village under the Aurai police station area, Mohammad Imtiyaz, who lives with a physical disability, and Najma Parveen, who is unable to speak, have tied the knot and begun their married life together. Marriages between two people who each live with a disability of this kind are rarely seen in rural Bihar, which is why the nikah has become the talk of the region, with locals calling it proof that relationships are built on understanding, respect and trust rather than physical ability.
From a disability in childhood to a business of his own in Jaipur
Imtiyaz, a resident of Chandiha village, has faced physical challenges since childhood. He became disabled at around four or five years of age, and the years that followed brought one hardship after another. Rather than give in to his circumstances, Imtiyaz decided to make himself self-reliant. With that goal, he travelled to Jaipur in Rajasthan, where he trained in mobile phone repairing. Once his training was complete, he returned to his village and opened his own mobile repair shop. Through hard work and persistence, he built up his business and became financially independent. Running his own shop also meant he no longer had to depend on anyone else to earn a living, something that mattered greatly after years of being seen as dependent because of his condition.
Looking for a partner who understood the struggle
Once he was standing on his own feet financially, the question of marriage came up for Imtiyaz. Several proposals came his way, but he hesitated each time, worried that a partner unfamiliar with disability might not be able to cope with the daily realities of his life. He was looking for someone who could truly understand his circumstances and the struggles he had been through. It was during this search that he met Najma Parveen from Muksudpur village. Najma cannot speak, but the two developed such a strong bond of communication and mutual understanding that they decided to spend their lives together.
Families and villagers come together for the nikah
After Imtiyaz and Najma agreed to marry, both their families happily accepted the match. The nikah ceremony was then held in the presence of family members and villagers. The event was attended by the local police station in-charge along with several respected members of the community, who wished the newlyweds a happy married life. The presence of the police in-charge and village elders turned what could have been a simple family occasion into one backed by the whole community's goodwill. Both families, along with the villagers around them, were visibly enthusiastic about the occasion.
"I have a lot of hopes from my wife": Imtiyaz
Imtiyaz says that having experienced the pain of disability himself, he is able to understand Najma's feelings and situation far better. He believes that mutual trust, understanding and the willingness to stand by each other matter more in a relationship than anything else. Imtiyaz added that he has a lot of hopes from his wife Najma. She cannot speak, he said, but she is healthy and can understand his feelings and his difficulties without a word being exchanged between them. According to Imtiyaz, that silent understanding is the biggest reason for his happiness, and he hopes their marriage shows others that disability need not stand in the way of a happy married life.
