Meet Shilpa Khetavani and Sajid — they are husband and wife.
Both portray themselves as "liberal" and modern-minded, yet their personal lives tell a very different story.
Before marriage, Shilpa used to perform Hindu rituals and celebrate Hindu festivals at her parents' home. After marrying Sajid, however, she is never seen performing puja at her husband's house. In fact, whenever a Hindu festival comes around, she has to visit her parents' home to celebrate it. Meanwhile, Eid and other Islamic festivals are celebrated at her husband's house with full religious observance.
Their children have Islamic names, and not even a single image of a Hindu deity can be found in Sajid's home.
The question is simple: if both are truly "liberal," why does the compromise seem to flow in only one direction?
Many self-proclaimed modernists and feminists—"Honda Shernis"—speak of equality and freedom before marriage, but after a religious Nikah, those principles often appear to vanish when it comes to preserving their own traditions and identity.