New Delhi: Neha Singh says she hasn’t spoken to her family in five years, three months, and eighteen days. Back when she was still Noor Jahan, she fled her parents’ home in Rohini and headed straight to the Arya Samaj temple. It was the quickest way to marry her Hindu boyfriend, Veenu Singh.
But Neha and Veenu’s laminated ‘marriage certificate’ is as flimsy as the paper it’s printed on. Even after all these years—and a baby—their marriage is still not legally recognised.
For decades, young lovers on the run from their families turned to Arya Samaj temples for quick, no-questions-asked, no-frill weddings. It’s a well-oiled nexus of lawyers, middlemen, and Arya Samaj trust members that keeps the marriage game going. But now, courts are cracking down. Judges are rejecting Arya Samaj certificates and flagging ‘fake’ documents. Interfaith couples are hit hardest, with courts also questioning Arya Samaj conversions for marriage and even denying police protection. This scrutiny isn’t limited to Uttar Pradesh, where a stringent anti-conversion law is in force—it’s also happening in states like Madhya Pradesh.
Over the last couple of years, especially, the courts have doubled down. In September this year, the Allahabad High Court called for a police investigation into Arya Samaj temples, societies, and trusts that were issuing marriage certificates, alleging that such weddings lead to “human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and forced labour.” In August, the Delhi High Court tightened its stance, ordering temples to verify witnesses and ensure at least one relative or trusted acquaintance is present—a problem for couples fleeing enraged families. And in 2022, the Supreme Court bluntly declared that Arya Samaj has “no business issuing marriage certificates.”
Couples like Neha and Veenu, who thought they’d found a refuge in Arya Samaj weddings, are discovering they’re caught in a legal minefield. The only easy part is the actual wedding.
“As a Muslim, my religion was a very big obstacle in the way of us getting married,” said Neha, now living in a two-room rented house in Delhi with her husband and their two-year-old child. “Veenu found out about Arya Samaj marriages, and we gave an affidavit of me converting to Hinduism. Just like that, I married the love of my life.”
Neha’s one-stop Arya Samaj conversion and wedding took just two hours. All they needed was a middleman to arrange it, two witnesses, a priest, two garlands, and Rs 6,000 for the paperwork. The ceremony was quickly wrapped up in a hall.
I thank Arya Samaj. They are the reason I’m with my husband. The wedding was quick but had everything— one of our friends did my kanyadan as well.
-Neha Singh
But registering the marriage was a tougher prospect, and they still haven’t managed to do it.
“We haven’t registered because the process takes a lot of time and there are many hurdles,” said Neha, holding up their Arya Samaj certificate. “We know there can be problems if we apply for government benefits or passports. As of now we haven’t thought about it. Maybe the courts will change their mindset and give validity to these certificates.”
Under Indian law, marriage registration is compulsory. The Hindu Marriage Act recognises Arya Samaj weddings, but they still need official registration with the government to be legally valid.
“An Arya Samaj marriage certificate is not equivalent to legal registration. A marriage must still be registered with the Marriage Registrar under applicable laws,” said Aditya Kashyap, a lawyer in the Supreme Court. “While the Arya Marriage Validation Act 1937 acknowledges inter-caste marriages among Arya Samajis, several recent judgments, including from the Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court, have consistently emphasised that certificates from Arya Samaj temples do not hold statutory force.”
A growing patina of suspicion surrounds Arya Samaj marriages. Founded in 1875 by Swami Dayanand Saraswati as a Hindu reform movement, the Arya Samaj now operates through a loose network of independent temples and trusts. But it’s become a legal grey area, with some outfits allegedly exploiting its name.
In September, while hearing a batch of cases from couples seeking police protection, the Allahabad High Court noted that police had found over a dozen outfits conducting weddings and issuing marriage certificates under the Arya Samaj banner. None were registered with the Arya Samaj headquarters in Delhi.
Arya Samaj representatives insist that rogue operators and unauthorised trusts are damaging their reputation by not following the correct procedures for conversions and weddings.
“We ourselves are concerned about such practices,” said Acharya Brijesh Shastri, pradhan of the Arya Samaj mandir in Delhi’s Connaught Place.
“Many courts have raised valid concerns about Arya Samaj marriages. Sadly, youngsters see us as an institution of marriage but there are 16 sanskars in Arya Samaj—marriage is just one of them.”
Yet, for many couples, Arya Samaj is their last hope for getting married quickly.
‘Forbidden’ love has plenty of allies around Delhi’s courts—for a fee. At spots like Karkardooma Court, lawyers and middlemen circle, ready to offer quick-fix marriage solutions.
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Tougher hurdles for interfaith couples
Pune couple Zaidi and Soniya had been together for a decade when their secret romance blew up last year after her father found out. Both are in their late twenties, educated, and from middle-class backgrounds, but they faced a wall of family resistance due to their religious differences.
Fearing for their safety, they made a quick escape to Delhi and rushed into an Arya Samaj conversion for Zaidi, followed by a wedding, hoping it would help them secure police protection.
“We didn’t really want to go for an Arya Samaj marriage, but at that time it was the only thing that could make us feel safe,” said Zaidi, who runs a clinic in Pune. “I gave an affidavit stating that I am changing my religion from Muslim to Hindu, and we got married in two hours.”
While the ceremony was quick, getting an official seal on the marriage was another story.
While Zaidi converted to Hinduism, their marriage needed to be registered under the secular Special Marriage Act, which mandates a 30-day notice period for objections to be raised—a big hurdle for couples who married against their families’ wishes.
The Special Marriage Act is more stringent than the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA), which covers marriages between Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. Although the HMA technically includes converts, many courts reject conversion affidavits issued by Arya Samaj trusts. For instance, in 2022, the Madhya Pradesh High Court declared both the conversion and marriage certificates of a Muslim woman who converted to marry a Hindu through a Ghaziabad-based Arya Samaj Trust as “null and void.”
“The conditions never seemed to end,” Zaidi said.
Under the Special Marriage Act, couples must meet specific requirements. Both partners must be of legal age (18 for women, 21 for men), mentally sound, and not related within prohibited degrees. They must file a notice of intent to marry with the district Marriage Registrar, where at least one partner has resided for 30 days. This notice is posted publicly for the 30-day objection period. Afterward, couples must submit a jointly signed form and required documents, endorsed by a gazetted officer. Witnesses are essential to verify their identities and addresses.
Fortunately for Zaidi and Soniya, their parents eventually relented after a few months and facilitated the registration.
“Even then, it took us over a month to get registered. Without our parents’ support, it would’ve been impossible,” Zaidi said. They’ve now moved back to Pune and continue to practice their respective religions.
Getting married under the Special Marriage Act is very challenging, so couples often prefer Arya Samaj marriage certificates as proof of marriage. No matter how difficult you make it, people will still love
-Asif Iqbal, co-founder of Dhanak of Humanity
Preet Beniwal and Naman Sonwal from Delhi-NCR had their own terrifying experiences with angry family members, but being from the same religion made things a lot easier in some ways.
After six years together, they decided to tie the knot quietly. Preet, from a Jat family, knew her parents would never accept Naman, who comes from a Dalit background. So, they planned an Arya Samaj wedding. But when her family found out, things turned ugly fast. Preet’s brother physically attacked her, leaving her with no choice but to run away with Naman.
“We planned for days. In April, I left home at 7 am, saying I had an early lecture, and by 2 pm, everything was done—marriage and registration. After I left, Naman’s family sought police protection, and we got it,” said Beniwal, a graduate of Delhi’s Kalindi College.
Unlike Zaidi and Soniya, Preet and Naman registered their marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act. This allowed them to skip the 30-day notice period required by the Special Marriage Act, making it easier to get police protection.
But for couples who only have an Arya Samaj marriage, courts frequently refuse to recognise these certificates, often denying protection requests. While the Supreme Court has ruled that even unregistered couples deserve protection, the lack of formal registration can leave them vulnerable.
“Young couples want marriage to feel safe and secure. They believe that, after marriage, families can’t separate them, and authorities will provide protection if needed. But couples struggle with paperwork and complex conditions,” said Asif Iqbal, co-founder of Dhanak of Humanity, an organisation that assists couples in getting married.
In many cases, those who run away from home face difficulties with the legal process and turn to middlemen for help—which is where things can get murky.
Many Arya Samaj representatives are not on board with expedited services, particularly when it comes to interfaith unions.
Quick wedding deals
‘Forbidden’ love has plenty of allies around Delhi’s courts—for a fee. At spots like Karkardooma Court, lawyers and middlemen circle, ready to offer quick-fix marriage solutions. Arya Samaj temples have become a go-to for their swift, straightforward process. Clusters of these temples near courts conduct on-demand ceremonies, while websites and even Instagram accounts guide couples through the steps.
One such facilitator is lawyer Narendra Kumar, 31, who runs an Instagram account called “Arya Samaj Marriages” with his wife. For the past two years, they’ve handled a steady stream of enquiries, promising to get couples married in just two hours—though “special requests” like additional rituals, a Mangalsutra, or a larger venue may take a bit longer.
“We saw a lot of misinformation about marriage processes, so we wanted to educate people,” said Kumar, dressed in a black coat and white shirt at Karkardooma Court. He also works at Ghaziabad court in Uttar Pradesh.
“Many worry about delays or think they need to stay together for six months for a valid marriage. We clarify all these doubts.”
Kumar and his wife have together officiated around 40 weddings, but they steer clear of interfaith unions. They are especially wary in Uttar Pradesh, where the strict anti-conversion law prevents conversion solely for marriage.
“I haven’t officiated any interfaith marriages because we mostly register marriages in the Ghaziabad court. Interfaith marriages fall under the Special Marriage Act, which has many requirements that take time. People come to us because they want a quick process,” Kumar said.
Fake trusts offer conversion certificates based on an affidavit, but authentic Arya Samaj temples won’t accept that. Genuine conversions involve processes like sudhikaran, magistrate permission, or publication in a newspaper
-Acharya Brijesh Shastri, pradhan of the Arya Samaj mandir in Delhi’s Connaught Place
Typically, Kumar directs couples to an Arya Samaj hall near the court, where he has an arrangement with a priest. The entire process—from ceremony to certificate—takes just 4-5 hours.
“We didn’t start this for money,” Kumar insisted. “When I was interning as a lawyer, I saw people struggle to get married due to lack of support, so I wanted to help.”
Clients from as far as Dubai and Sri Lanka come to Kumar for marriage assistance.
“If someone wants a bigger wedding, we move to a larger temple and issue an Arya Samaj certificate. That’s no problem,” he added.
However, many Arya Samaj representatives are not on board with expedited services, particularly when it comes to interfaith unions.
Conversion affidavit ‘not enough’
Arya Samaj leaders are sounding alarms over rogue outfits exploiting their name to ‘solemnise’ marriages and issue conversion certificates without proper rituals. They’re even taking legal action.
“I wouldn’t say (the courts are) wrong,” said Arya Samaj pradhan Shastri. “Many organisations misuse the Arya Samaj name to conduct marriages and issue certificates. Our leadership in Lucknow has filed a case in Allahabad High Court to address this.”
While registered Arya Samaj mandirs conduct rituals like ‘sudhikaran’ (purification) for conversions, many unauthorised outfits issue certificates without these procedures, according to Shastri.
“Some people obtain conversions with just an affidavit, but we don’t support that,” he added. “Fake trusts offer conversion certificates based on an affidavit, but authentic Arya Samaj temples won’t accept that. Genuine conversions involve processes like sudhikaran, magistrate permission, or publication in a newspaper.”
Currently, 384 temples are registered under Arya Samaj Deewan Hall, one of the organisation’s headquarters in Chandni Chowk, where marriages are conducted.
“There’s a lot Arya Samaj does. Originally, it was for those who couldn’t afford a grand wedding. Recently, more young people see us as the fastest option for marriage,” said Shastri. “But this simplicity only applies to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists. For Muslims and Christians, the process is complicated.”
For Neha Singh, converting took just a signed affidavit, but Shastri warns against such shortcuts.
While some cases have recognised the ceremonial aspect of these marriages, the legal status of Arya Samaj certificates remains uncertain. Registration is essential for official purposes, but not registering doesn’t automatically invalidate a marriage
-Aditya Kashyap, lawyer
“Real Arya Samaj temples don’t issue conversions without proper adherence. For example, the Lajpat Nagar Arya Samaj temple is fully equipped for sudhikaran, but many trusts use our name to run businesses that don’t follow our rituals,” he said.
But couples from across India continue to flock to Delhi for discreet ceremonies that provide some semblance of legal sanction. Many come from Uttar Pradesh, where the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act criminalises conversions for marriage to prevent ‘love jihad’. Earlier this year, the state government proposed harsher penalties, including life imprisonment, and allowed anyone—not just relatives—to file complaints.
For interfaith couples, the Special Marriage Act is theoretically safer since it doesn’t require conversion. But it’s not a favourite with couples fighting many other odds.
“Getting married under the Special Marriage Act is very challenging, so couples often prefer Arya Samaj marriage certificates as proof of marriage,” said Asif Iqbal, who has assisted hundreds of couples. “No matter how difficult you make it, people will still love.”
And in their search for paths of least resistance, many couples are going online for quick solutions.
Online industry
A quick search for “Arya Samaj Marriage” opens up a floodgate of options. Numerous links pop up, offering to arrange a wedding in just hours. There’s a smorgasbord of phone numbers, addresses, and promises of hassle-free ceremonies. Arya Samaj Marriage, Arya Samaj Mandir, Arya Samaj Pandit ji are some of the names of the websites. Instagram alone has over 50 accounts showcasing Arya Samaj weddings, step-by-step.
Most such accounts and websites aren’t run by temples but by lawyers and middlemen who have carved a niche business out of it. And there are prospective customers aplenty.
Young couples flock to these profiles with questions: How long does this take? What documents do we need to bring? Do you have offices in Hyderabad? Can we do an online court marriage?
Technical queries pour in too, about issues such as mismatched details between Aadhaar cards and school documents. The admins often quickly shift such conversations to DMs.
One popular account, ‘Aryasamaj.marriage,’ has nearly 9,000 followers and 75 posts explaining the marriage process. They even address common queries through videos—like one where a woman clarifies: “You have to be physically present in court to get married. You can only check your marriage certificate status online.” Some Instagram accounts even offer phone counselling for inquisitive couples.
Facebook and other social media platforms are awash with similar pages and groups. One Facebook group with over 1,500 members pitches its services with targeted questions: Do you want to marry Arya Samaj, or are you considering a love marriage, court marriage? Do you know what documents and other materials are needed for this?”
Some even tap into celebrity buzz to draw attention. After actor Sonakshi Sinha’s civil marriage to Zaheer Iqbal, one Instagram post highlighted how interfaith couples can marry under the Special Marriage Act without converting.
“If you are from a different religion, you don’t have to convert your religion as per the Special Marriage Act,” said a caption alongside a photo of Sinha with a flashing arrow pointing to her sindoor.
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‘Don’t regret it one bit’
Childhood neighbours turned secret lovers, Neha and Veenu were determined to marry despite their families’ strong objections. In 2019, they turned to Arya Samaj. With just a day’s notice, they found a middleman—a lawyer in Delhi—who arranged everything.
“I thank Arya Samaj. They are the reason I’m with my husband,” Neha said, holding Veenu’s hand. “The wedding was quick but had everything— one of our friends did my kanyadan as well.”
Since then, the couple has done well. Neha, now 27, has finished her master’s in history and is about to start her PhD, while Veenu, 28, works in network marketing. They own a car and have built a stable life together.
While Neha and Veenu know their Arya Samaj wedding might not be legally airtight, Veenu consulted a lawyer who assured him their certificate should be enough.
“The marriage registration doesn’t really matter to us as we wanted to live together and we are able to do that because we have pictures of our marriage and Arya Samaj certificate. We were able to get a home in Delhi,” Veenu added.
Lawyer Aditya Kashyap agrees that the law leaves room for interpretation.
“While some cases have recognised the ceremonial aspect of these marriages, the legal status of Arya Samaj certificates remains uncertain. Registration is essential for official purposes, but not registering doesn’t automatically invalidate a marriage,” he said.
Yet, even with a child and the trappings of a typical middle-class life, Neha and Veenu haven’t won over their families. Two years after their wedding, Neha tried to reconnect with her mother, hoping time had softened her stance. It hadn’t.
“They don’t talk to me even after my son’s birth. I miss them every day but I don’t regret my decision one bit,” said Neha. Now, the couple shares their story to inspire others in similar situations.
“It’s not like our struggles ended with marriage,” said Neha, glancing at her two-year-old son. “Both society and the system make it hard for people like us, but love is stronger than fear.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
Very well written, comprehensive, and informative article. Could you write a piece on the alimony aspect of marriages registered under the Special Marriages Act.