22 years after Godhra riots, pre-wedding ceremony in Gulberg Society brings back residents

Ahmedabad: Twenty two years after the ghastly riots which killed 69 of its residents during 2002 post-Godhra riots, the Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad witnessed celebrations recently when the only family living in the abandoned society celebrated a pre-wedding function.

The Mansuri family, which continues to stay in the now ruined society, held 'haldi rasam', a pre-wedding ceremony, of their 18-year-old daughter Misbah. The ceremony held on Monday was attended by a handful of old neighbours of the society, who have been scattered in various parts of the city since 2002. The society has 29 bungalows and ten apartments.

"I had invited everyone from the society but only four to five people turned up. But, there were many Hindu neighbours also who witnessed 'haldi ki rasam'," said Rafiq Mansuri, who was 30 years old when the riots broke out in the society on February 28, 2002.

Mansuri told DH that his daughter is getting married on Wednesday in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district. "I am in Barwani right now but Monday's celebration back in Ahmedabad was well received. The society witnessed a function of this kind first time after the riots. Everyone enjoyed," Mansuri said.

During the riots, Mansuri's father Kasam lost 19 members of this family including six children. Rafiq lost his wife and a son. He got remarried to Taslim in Madhya Pradesh.

His house is located right at the entrance of the society, which other residents visit once a year during the anniversary of the horrific incident. A day after 59 karsevaks returning from Ayodhya were burnt to death while travelling in Sabarmati Express train at Godhra railway station, widespread riots broke out in many parts of the state including Ahmedabad.

The communal clash at Gulberg society was one of the worst in which 69 persons including former Congress MP Ahsan Jafri were burnt alive by the mob.

In 2016, 11 persons were convicted for murder while 13 were awarded lesser punishment by a special trial court.