Jaunpur: A village in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh has become an abode of communal harmony with Muslims adopting Hindu Brahmin surnames.
Despite being predominantly Muslim village, Muslims at Dehri village of Uttar Pradesh have adopted Hindu Brahmin surnames like Dubey, Tiwari and Shukla in a bid to uphold communal harmony.
The village, located about 35 kilometers from the district headquarters, gained attention when 60-year-old Naushad Ahmad, a local, printed his daughter’s wedding invitation with his name as “Naushad Dubey”. According to Naushad, his ancestral lineage traces back to Hindu Brahmins from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He discovered that his “father, Lal Bahadur Dubey, had converted and adopted the name Lal Bahadur Sheikh.”
“I realized our caste identity was changed,” Naushad told ETV Bharat. “When I researched history, I found that we were Dubeys who moved to Jaunpur, generations ago. I decided to reclaim my ancestral surname.”
Like Naushad, several Muslims have adopted similar Hindu surnames like; Abdullah Dubey and Siraj Shukla. However, unlike Naushad, others like Ehtesham Ahmed acknowledge their Hindu roots but have not changed their surnames and want to continue as Muslims.
Dehri residents emphasize unity and humanity over religious divisions. “Religion must promote humanity, not hatred,” said Naushad, reflecting the village’s religious harmony and brotherhood.
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