Kashmiri couple celebrates wedding by planting trees
Yasir Hussain Sheikh, who works as a school principal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhaderwah valley, often referred to as ‘Chota Kashmir’, and his bride chose to celebrate the joys of their marriage and family in a special way.
On Monday, a day after Mr Sheikh tied the nuptial knot with Daizy, a local girl, the couple was expected to be joined by friends and relatives at their marriage banquet. But, the couple chose to leave their home in Halyan village early in the morning and relocated to Bhaderwah Valley Public School to plant trees as mark of their celebration.
“We chose to start our new phase of life in an exceptional way, something that would be beneficial to the present and future generations,” the 28-year-old Sheikh said. As reported in Kashmir Life, it was a pleasant surprise for the staff and students of the school to see Sheikh in wedding attire and Daizy in pink bridal dress, with beautiful mehandi-clad hands and layers of jewellery, planting saplings in the school compound.
The residents also appreciated the gesture and a local cleric reminded the couple of a hadith or saying of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad that planting a tree is ‘Sadqahe-Jariyah’ or ongoing charity as each time a person or animal sits under its shade or eats from it, the one who has planted it will gain hasanat (reward) even after his or her death.
“The couple, instead of allowing themselves to be swayed by the festivities, started the plantation drive that has not only been appreciated by everyone here but set a precedent,” said a local reporter. Sheikh told Kashmir Life that he and his wife share concern over ecological imbalance and are keen to do their bit towards improving the environment.
“When we interacted for the first time, there was one thing common between us — we both wanted to save plant more trees. This likeness bonded our relationship,” he was quoted by the news portal as saying.
While Sheikh is a postgraduate from Jammu University, his bride is pursuing Masters in Political Science.
Sheikh said he has been associated with plantation campaigns in Bhaderwah and surrounding villages for some time and will continue to do so during his wedding leave period.