Questions have often been raised about Indira Gandhi’s religion. However, the Nehru-Gandhi family always said that they belong to the Hindu religion. But Indira was married to Feroze Gandhi, who was from a Parsi family of Allahabad, so how did Indira remain a Hindu throughout her life even after this marriage. Is the answer to this in her marriage ritual, which was conducted in such a special way that neither Indira nor Feroze Gandhi had to change their religion.

There is a picture in the Nehru Memorial Trust Fund, in which a special letter has been displayed. Actually, when Indira and Feroze were about to get married in 1942, there was a large scale opposition to it in the country. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi were receiving dozens of such letters in which it was being said that Nehru’s daughter should not marry a non-Hindu. The reason for this opposition was that Nehru was the second most popular leader of the country after Mahatma Gandhi. At that time communal issues were in full swing.

Looking at all these things, Mahatma Gandhi suggested that Indira Gandhi’s marriage should be done at his ashram instead of Allahabad. Not only this, Gandhiji also wrote a marriage ritual with his own hands for Indira Gandhi’s marriage. However, Jawaharlal Nehru felt that this ritual would become very long, so it is better to stay close to Vedic traditions.

Before the marriage, Nehru decided that Indira’s marriage should be done in such a way that even after marriage, the bride and groom should not change their religion. That is, even after marriage, Indira Gandhi should remain a Hindu and Feroze Gandhi should remain a Parsi. Nehru asked the famous astrologer of that time, Pandit Lakshmidhar Shastri, to prepare such a marriage ritual in which the basic ideas of both religions are included.

Nehru said that since Vedic religion and Parsi religion have the same origin, it would not be difficult to find common values. Therefore, the marriage was conducted in such a way that it would look like a wedding in a normal Hindu family.

Pandit Nehru advised Pandit Lakshmidhar Shastri in a letter dated 16 March 1942, ‘The special thing about the marriage ceremony is that this marriage is taking place between a Hindu and a non-Hindu. The important thing is that many rituals in Parsi religion are similar to Vedic religion, because both religions have their origin in the same place. But still the fact is most important that this marriage is taking place between a Hindu and a non-Hindu and in this it has to be ensured that even after marriage the bride and groom remain in their respective religions.