Welcome to Sanatan Dharma: Muslim Family Embraces Sanatan Dharma at Bageshwar Dham.

Muslim Family Embraces Sanatan Hindu Dharma at Bageshwar Dham, Anwar Renamed as Arjun Singh and Hasina as Priya Singh.

Sonam Pandey | HENB |Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh) | April 1, 2026:: In a development that has drawn both attention and debate, a Muslim family publicly embraced Sanatan Dharma at the renowned Bageshwar Dham during a religious gathering attended by hundreds of devotees.

The family, earlier identified as Anwar Khan and his wife Hasina, formally adopted Hinduism through Vedic rituals and assumed new names—Arjun Singh and Priya Singh—marking a significant shift in their religious identity.

Public Conversion in Divya Darbar

The ceremony took place during the “Divya Darbar,” a regular spiritual congregation at the temple complex led by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the presiding figure of Bageshwar Dham. Amid chants and rituals, the couple participated in traditional rites, including havan and mantra recitation, symbolizing their initiation into Sanatan Dharma.

Eyewitnesses reported that the event was conducted openly, with the presence of a large number of followers who welcomed the family into the fold.

“A Personal Choice,” Says the Family

According to statements made during the ceremony, the family emphasized that their decision was voluntary and stemmed from a deep personal inclination toward Hindu beliefs and practices. They denied any coercion or inducement, stating that they had been spiritually drawn to Sanatan traditions for some time.

Call for Social Acceptance

Addressing the gathering, Shastri urged society to extend full respect and dignity to the family. He reiterated that anyone willing to adopt Sanatan Dharma should be welcomed without prejudice.

“Those who come to Sanatan should be embraced with respect. Society must ensure they face no discrimination,” he said.

A Recurring Flashpoint

Bageshwar Dham has frequently been in the spotlight for large-scale religious events and conversions that are often described by organizers as “ghar wapsi” (homecoming). Such developments, however, tend to ignite broader conversations around religious freedom, conversion laws, and social harmony in India.

Wider Context

Incidents of religious conversion—whether into or out of Hinduism—remain a sensitive subject in India, often intersecting with political narratives and legal scrutiny in several states. While proponents frame such acts as expressions of individual freedom, critics frequently call for closer examination of the circumstances under which they occur.

Welcome to Sanatan

The conversion of the family at Bageshwar Dham underscores the continuing relevance of faith-based identity in India’s socio-cultural landscape. As the debate around religious choice and conversion intensifies, such events are likely to remain at the center of public discourse.

Echoing this vision, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri continues to position such initiatives as a cultural and spiritual “homecoming,” asserting that individuals returning to Sanatan Dharma should be embraced with dignity, not division. As these campaigns gain visibility through yatras and public ceremonies, they are increasingly shaping a broader narrative around identity, faith, and belonging—one that seeks to reinforce continuity with ancestral traditions while simultaneously igniting a nationwide conversation on religious choice and social cohesion.

The Bageshwar Dham pontiff had earlier declared that, to counter what he described as the threat of forced and induced conversions in Islam and Christianity, he would launch a campaign titled “Back to Sanatan.” During his Hindu Rashtra Padyatra, he also organized such programmes to welcome back brothers and sisters who had left their Hindu faith for various reasons and had chosen to return to their original traditions.
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_Agency Inputs.