In a country where religion plays a key role in deciding the fate of an election, Nusrat Jahan is setting an entirely different example. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker who married a Hindu businessman Nikhil Jain at the start of the year surprised everyone when she celebrated Durga Puja. Despite being slammed by the Islamic clerics, the actress turned politician reached the Durga Pandal to play Sindoor Khela, a ritual followed by all the Bengali Hindu women.
In this ritual, the women apply sindoor on the forehead and the feet of Durgama and offer bhog or Prasad of sweets to her feet. Later on, the women also apply sindoor on the face of each other. A couple of days ago even big actresses from Bollywood including Jaya Bachchan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerjee were seen enjoying Sindoor Khela.
I’m God’s Special Child, Says Nusrat Jahan
When quizzed about her decision to participate in a Hindu ritual despite being a Muslim, the actress said, "I have already sent a message to the people that nothing matters more than humanity and love. I am god's special child and respect humanity and love more than anything. I respect all religions." The TMC MP received a lot of firing from Muslim clerics as she has been sporting sindoor and mangalsutra, symbols of Hindu matrimony since getting married.
The clerics have called her “anti-Islamic” and said that Nusrat Jahan is bringing a bad name to their religion. But the actress has decided to go ahead with whatever that keeps her happy and performed Sindoor Khela with great aplomb. While answering to the remarks made by the Islamic clerics, she said, "I am engrossed in so much happiness and festivities today that I do not want to talk about the negative things."
With her decision to embrace both Hinduism and Islam, Nusrat Jahan has indeed proved that she is the special child of God.