How India's Akanksha And Afghanistan's Nomon Bridge Cultural Gap With Love

Love has nothing to do with differences, and Akanksha and Nomon have been vouching for it ever since they first met; the major twist in their story is not just their cultural difference but also an inter-border distance. While Akanksha is an Indian Hindu, Nomon is an Afghanistani Muslim; what happened when they fell in love was nothing short of a chunk from a tense inter-faith romance-based film.

In conversation with SheThePeople, Akanksha shares with us her love story with Nomon, how her Indian origin and his Afghanistan origin don't come in the way of their love, and why she wishes to dismantle the stigma surrounding Hindu-Muslim relationships.

India Afghanistan Couple

“Nomon and I met during our final semester of grade 12 when he asked me to be his date for prom. We had several common friends and quickly grew closer as we spent time together. Though we both felt the connection, we were hesitant to pursue it further as we were soon to leave for different universities and the cultural and religious differences made us both unsure. But as we got to know each other better, we both knew we couldn’t give up on each other so we decided to give the relationship a chance despite the potential challenges posed by my Hindu upbringing and his Muslim heritage.

I grew up in a really close-knit family and hoped that they would trust my decision and believe in my love, but when I told them about Nomon, they couldn’t look beyond religion and refused to give him a chance. They refuse to meet him or even talk to him to this day. Nomon proposed to me in 2022, after being together for 8 years. Against all odds, he extended an invitation to my parents, hoping for their presence on this special occasion, but they chose not to grace us with their presence. Although it was a heart-wrenching moment for both Nomon and me, we found solace in the unwavering support of our friends and my ever-present brother, who have stood by us, unwavering, throughout our entire journey.

Nomon's family, on the other hand, has been welcoming from the beginning, embracing me with wholehearted acceptance. They have never expected me to forsake my culture or religion, understanding that love knows no bounds. It's been so much fun teaching them about Indian culture while learning about their cherished Afghani traditions!

Today, Nomon and I are exploring the world together.

After a TikTok about our story went viral a couple of months ago, our inboxes were flooded with couples in similar situations looking to us for advice. We realized that our love could make a difference, dismantling the stigma surrounding Hindu-Muslim relationships. Together, we aspire to empower future generations to love fearlessly, unbound by societal barriers, and be the change for the other couples to come!”

Suggested reading: Took Us 13 Years To Make Folks Understand Love Has Nothing To Do With Religion