Hindu and Jewish lesbian couple tie the knot in beautiful interfaith wedding
An interfaith lesbian couple has celebrated their religion by tying the knot in in two beautiful traditional ceremonies.
Kalavati Mistry, who is Hindu, and Miriam Jefferson, who is Jewish, first met on a training course 20 years ago.
Both women value marriage deeply because of their religion, and so they decided to have two weddings.
The first wedding took place in San Antonio, Texas, and was traditionally Jewish.
The second took place months later in Leicester and was a traditional Hindu ceremony.
48-year-old Kalavati said that marriage was “very important” to her.
“I grew up in a very traditional household, and really value the traditions and the culture. To me, I wanted to spend my life with someone, in a union,” she explained.
However, it has not been an easy journey for the couple to getting married.
As well as struggling to come out to her strict parents, Kalavati also struggled to seek out a Hindu priest who was willing to do the ceremony.
Kalavati said: “I knew during my teenage years that I was (gay) and it was very difficult, trying to tell your friends and family and honour the traditions.
“Once I told my friends and family a few years ago, they were very warm, welcoming and embracing to Miriam, which is very important.”
She added that it felt complete for them to have both of the ceremonies.
“It’s really nice to now have a Hindu wedding here, because it brings both of us together and completes both of us in my eyes.”
The couple has since moved back to Texas to begin their life as a married couple.
Jefferson added that she was glad the wedding ceremonies had been so “wonderful”.
“I got to spend the whole day with someone that I adore and love and want to spend my entire life with.
“I was surrounded by people I’ve known my entire life, and people who have recently embraced me as their own.
“It’s a pretty wonderful thing to celebrate,” she added.
