GANGES; BRIDGEROOM'S FAMILY ARRIVING; NAWAB SIGNING MARRIAGE AGREEMENT; CEREMONY; GOVERNOR OF WEST BENGAL. (NATSOF)




Initials GEP/VS/BOB/SC



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Background: THE NAWAB OF PATAUDI, INDIA'S TEST CRICKET CAPTAIN, MARRIED FILM STAR SHARMILA TAGORE IN A MUSLIM CEREMONY AT THE BRIDE'S HOME IN CALCUTTA YESTERDAY (FRIDAY).

THE NAWAB, WHO IS 27, IS A MOSLEM. MISS TAGORE, ONE OF INDIA'S BEST KNOWN SCREEN BEAUTIES, WAS A HINDU, BUT HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO ISLAM AND TAKEN THE MUSLIM NAME OF AYESHA BEGUM.

THE MARRIAGE WAS CELEBRATED BY THE TRADITIONAL MUSLIM RITES. BOTH BRIDE AND GROOM WORE HE ADDRESSES HUNG WITH CHAINS OF FLOWERS THAT COMPLETELY COVERED THEIR FACES.

MANY OF MISS TAGORE'S HINDU RELATIVES WERE PRESENT, AND THEY WELCOMED MEMBERS OF THE NAWAB'S FAMILY TO THE HOUSE FOR THE CEREMONY. AMONG THE GUESTS WAS THE GOVERNOR OF WEST BENCAL, MR. DHARAM VIRA.

MISS TAGORE MET THE NAWAB, MANSUR ALI KHAN, THROUGH A MUTUAL CRICKETER FRIEND DURING THE WEST INDIES-INDIA TEST MATCH IN 1966. THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR ENGAGEMENT IN MARCH LAST YEAR.