About Us

WHO WE ARE:

Dhanak of Humanity is a not-for-profit organization mostly comprising interfaith and inter-caste couples. Dhanak, founded by a few interfaith couples, began as a support group in 2004. It was registered in 2012 under the Societies Registration Act.

Dhanak has evolved organically, and over the years it has emerged as a Champion organization working for the promotion of the Right to Choice in the matters of Marriage and Relationships. It works against Honour-Based Crimes and Forced Marriages in India. Dhanak’s unique footing, passion, and experience drive the core team.

Dhanak is the only organization in India working on a spectrum of issues and challenges faced by interfaith and inter-caste couples, LGBTQ couples, and individuals who choose to assert their autonomy. In the last few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of inter/intra-caste couples seeking support.

Over the years Dhanak has touched the lives of over 1300 couples. Dhanak’s expertise developed as a result of learnings based on real-life experiences of struggling couples; be it dealing with their own value system and stereotypes, their families, or with the administration and legal systems.

Dhanak’s members volunteer to support new couples and families whenever and with all possible means.

WHAT WE DO:
SUPPORT TO ASPIRING COUPLES:
  • Counselling & Guidance to Aspiring Couples
  • Legal Guidance and Aid to Aspiring Couples
  • Protection, Support, and Financial aid to Couples in need
  • Protection and Support of LGBTQ couples on request by network organizations of CHAYAN
  • Facilitation for Marriage Solemnization & Registration
SERVICES TO INTER-RELIGIOUS/CASTE COUPLES AND FAMILIES:
  • Registration and Solemnization under Special Marriage Act
  • Protection and Legal support for prevention of Honour based crimes and safety
  • Reconciliation with Parents
  • Facilitate stay at Government Safe House for Couples in Need of Protection
  • Linkage with Support Group for Counselling & Support
  • Perspective Building on issues related to interfaith & gender-just living and universal human values  and Support System
  • Volunteering Opportunity
SENSITIZATION AND AWARENESS BUILDING:
  • Right to Choice
  • Against Honour-Based Crimes and Forced Marriage
  • Marriage without Religious Conversion
  • Gender Equality in Relationships
  • Awareness on Provisions under the Civil Marriage (Special Marriage Act)
  • For Austerity Measures in Marriage and Celebrations
ADVOCACY & NETWORKING:
  • Amendment of Special Marriage Act and changes in State Rules
  • Demand for an Act against Honour-Based Crimes
  • Demand for Homes for Couples for Security and Protection
  • CHAYAN: A consortium of organizations working on Right to Choose, convened by Dhanak
  • Forum of Parents and responsible citizens for intervention in mixed cases
RESOURCE CENTRE:
  • Collection of secondary and primary data related to marriage from different states of India
  • Collection of secondary data related to incentives given to mixed marriages by state governments.

Our Story

Dhanak is an Urdu word for rainbow, which is a beautiful yet rare phenomenon. Similarly, interfaith/caste marriages are not common in our society. Just as rich colours get together to complete a rainbow, we believe that the differences in our religious backgrounds are like different hues that add to the richness of our lives. Not only can we co-exist, but we can also enhance life’s quality thanks to the diversity that comes along due to the differences in our religious identities.

Our journey began in 2005 when a few interfaith couples decided to get together with the intention to form a forum which we decided to name as Dhanak. The idea was to help people with similar backgrounds to come together and form a support structure for each other at small group & individual levels. More importantly, we wanted to counter the spread of communalism in society.

We believe that differences in religious backgrounds bring with it some unique issues and experiences, and we understand these well. We are confident that there are many such people who believe strongly in our vision and wish to be a part of it and support it.

We invite all to join us as “Friends of Dhanak”. Dhanak also looks forward to being associated as “Networking Partners” with like-minded groups and organizations that share Dhanak’s overall perspective of universal peace & harmony.

308 thoughts on “About Us”

  2. I am a teacher and belong to rewari . And I want to marriage my love who is belong to my neighbors village. That why my parents are not agree plz covinance my parents. Plz help me

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  4. Sir i am in love with a girl since the last 10 years we both love each other. We want to marry but our society and parents are against our marriage. We both belong to same village. Village tradition is not allowing us to marry. Sir we love each other very much. I can not live without her. Her parents fixed her marriage with another boy. Please help me sir. And suggest what to do. If we marry they will kill us.
    Please protect us. I have also written email for you.

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  6. Respected sir,
    Myself vinod parihar from raipur. Sir mai rajput hu and meri wife odia sc class se hai… by cast hme koi dikkt nhi but after shadi hmae fund ki bahut jarurat hai
    Sir maine lockdown ke just phle hi intercast shadi ki mujhe bilkul bhi andaza nhi tha ki corona aane wala hai otherwise mai shadi bilkul nhi krta… sab kuchh sahi chal rha tha sir.. april 2019 ko maine aur mere chhote bhai ne mil ke apna khud ka phla ghar mummy ke liye liya… uski emi dene ke liye mera chhota bhai 2 shift me day aur night kaam kr rha hai.. fir march me shadi bhi ho gyi sir… maa papa ke alava aur kisi ka support suru se kabhi nhi mila so rishtedaro ne na ghar lene ke time help kiya na shadi ke time sirf maa papa bhai aur maine hi kiya baki dost achhe hai toh unhone help kr diya… shadi ho gyi sir fir corona aa gya papa ka kam bnd ho gya chhote bhai ka day wala kam bnd ho gya… meri salary half ho gyi… wife ki job chali gyi… dikkt yaha se aane suru huyi sir… ab paiso ki kami suru ho gyi jitne savings the sb covid ke phle ghr aur shadi me hi chale gye…. fir income aana bhi kam ho gya… isi bich mujhe appendix and leucoma bhi ho gya sir… ab dosto ko bhi jarurat padi paiso ki…. toh sir paise the nhi… ab ek dost ko dene ke liye dusre se lo… dusre ko dene ke liye tisre se lo…. bank bhi loan nhi de rhe sir… aise kr kr ke sir maine byaj me paise leke kuchh logo ko paise diye qki unhe bhi emergency thi…. toh sir kul mila ke meri halat bad se baddtar hoti chali gyi… fir jab mujhe lga ki ab mujhse nhi ho skta toh sir marne ke khayal aane lge… log paise ke liye takada krte hai toh sir aisa lgta hai ki kahi ja kr mr jau…. koi rashta nazar nhi aata sir fir achanak se aise hi ek khayal aaya ki social media se hi kuchh help liya jaye so sir aap ko maine ye mail likha hai… sir mere upr 3 lac ka loan hai… and mai janta hu sir ki 1 aadmi akela mujhe 3 lac nhi dega but koi bhi mujhe thoda thoda bhi kuchh deta hai toh wo mere liye bada bn skta hai…. so sir please aapse mai request krta hu ki aap ko agr aisa lge ki meri help krni chahiye toh please give me some amount sir…. mai aapko promise krta hu sir ki mai aapko aapka amount jarur return krunga….. sir mere maa papa padhe likhe nhi hai sir but mujhe aur mere bhai ko suru se study me help kiye… sir ab jab hmara time unke liye kuchh krne ka aaya toh ye sare problem aa gye sir… please mujhe koi rashta dikhaye sir… sir mujhe 3 lac dena bahut jaruri hai…. aapse jo thik lge please help krna sir mai.. future me kuchh time baad aapko return kr dunga sir but abhi mujhse 10% byaj dena nhi ho paa rha please help.me sir….
    Regards
    Vinod Parihar
    7000171348

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  9. I am in an inter-faith marriage. Is all of Dhanak’s data and communication completely secure and not liable to be leaked or hacked? Our situation is risky. I like to support Dhanak.

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  10. Hi,

    My name is Manish and I was born and brought up in Rourkela, Odisha.
    I came to Bengaluru in the year 2016 and met a Muslim girl in my first organization i.e Infosys, who is from Bengaluru itself.
    We are in love with each other and decided to marry without changing our relegions, so we informed our parents.
    My parents agreed to this, however, her parents did not as they want me to convert and then only they would let us marry.
    Somehow, we also made her parents understand few months back but now they are troubling us.
    As per them, some Muslim community and Masjid from their area have come to know about us and they are threatening us.
    We both are adults and working professionals.
    Please help us as soon as possible and we really need support from you.

    I have already emailed you people at queries.dhanak@gmail.com and awaiting reply
    Please understand that it’s a very urgent situation.

    Regards,
    Manish

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  12. Sir i need ur help mai rajput hu aur jisse mai payarbkrti hu bo shrama hai pr mere grwale hmri shdi k nhi mnnn rhe hai plz help uss🙏

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  13. sir i want to meet u in person, i m going through tough situation and my gf too,, she is at her home, nd her family is pressurising , torturing her mentally.
    we both are from different faith but we don’t any issue with that but her family is having police background in UP, nd by recent law her family can ruin my life nd her’s too.

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  16. Hame help ki bhoot jarurrt hai hame yha s niklna hai plzz aap humari help kijiye apse gujaris hai ki jldi s jldi humari help kre mai apni pareshani yha nhi bta skti or na apna naam

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  19. Sir, I have already sent the mail to you today by writing all my problems there. Please do check and help me to get out of this. I m stuck in this depression. Hope to get the solution soon.please sir

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  20. Sir I have already sent a mail to you regarding my problem. Hoping to get a solution from you as soon as possible. please do response asap.. I really need your help. I can’t be in this depression any more.

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  21. Happen to see today’s NDTV discussion and was planning to start such an organisation in Kerala. We are an interfaith couple married under the special marriage act since January 2000. We volunteer to associate with you as the provision of special marriage act with regard to notice period and display is not couple friendly.

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  22. Hello Dhanak Team,

    I wanted to do love marriage with a girl of different cast, I am a Jaat of Haryana and she is Rajput of haryana. We have takled to our parents but they are refusing this by saying this is against our culture and religion.
    Please can you help us on this to convince our parents so that we can live together.

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  23. sir/ mam .. please send me contact number of asif sir… as i know about him from my bf. I cannot contact him recently because of so many problems. i am going through extreme torment and mental torture. I am need of help!!! please send me contact number of asif sir.

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      • i have dropped an email regarding my present situation. I am really in need of help. i am literally crying atleast someone is listening to me… i am in facing all this past 9 months … i am not good at all i wish i could die … i do not want to marry someone else … 8 year relationship cannot end like this. please help me

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      • मै हिन्दू धर्म मे पैदा हुआ हुँ, यह मेरे गलती नहीं हैं… मै एक मानव हूँ, यह ही मेरा धर्म हैं. मेरे प्रेम को लव जिहाद बताकर एक छोटे शंदर्भ से जोड़ दिआ जाता हैं जिस पर मुझे बहुत घ्रणा आती हैं…. मै लोगो की तुच्छ मानसिकता को परखता हुँ…. 21वी शताब्दी मे रहकर के भी एक कट्टर सोच को बढ़ावा देना यह बहुत ही शर्मशार हैं….मेरा मानना हैं प्रेम मे बलिदान दिया जाना चाहियें लेकिन उसका किआ जो मैंने एक उम्मीद अपने मन मे जला रखी हैं, मै लोगो की सोच को बदलूंगा ये मेरा खुद से वायदा हैं आज बहुत दुखी मन से लिख रहा हुँ, क्योंकि अपने प्रेम को मै प्रेम ही रखना चाहता हूँ, मुझे नहीं मालूम मेरा बलिदान लोगो को आजाद कर देगा या फिर उनकी बेबुनियाद सोच को सहारा मिल जायेगा…….
        प्रिय
        उपलक्ष्य शिव लविश कुरील

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      • लविश जी, आपके विचार पढ़ कर अच्छा लगा…क्या आप अंतर धार्मिक रिश्ते में हैं?….

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  24. Hello sir,
    Main love marriage karna chata hun. But Meri family maan nai rahi hai. Please aap log Meri help kijiye. Mujhe support chahiye. Mujhe meri gf se marriage krni hai. Please reply kijiye n meri madad kijiye. Maine Mail already drop kiya hai, jo Mail ID mention tha. Please check krke aap Meri help kijiye

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  25. Sir mera naam Anjali hai me lv mrg krna chahti hu but meri fmly nhi maan rhi nd kisi or se shdi krwa chahti hai pr me lv mrg Krna chahti hu pls reply kijiye

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  31. Me and my partner are ready to die with each other because her family members are forcing her to get married to someone she don’t love. She is asking me to meet and we will commit suicide together.
    We can’t live without each other and we want to get married.
    Please help us convince her family members.
    If we are unable to get married to each other then we don’t have other option. We will commit suicide together.

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  33. hii..main assam se hu or main ek hindu lerki hu or mera partner muslim lerka hain….hum abhi bht chote hain..hmari age 21-22 hain..humari relation 3yrs ho chuke hain…abhi hum logon ki kuch bhi prblm nhi the,,hum acche se phar rhe hain..par 18 th ko hmare yaha pe facebook pe koi hindu king name se page hain jisme hmare relation k bare m bht bhala bura likh diya or love jihad name se mention kar diya jisse hum dono ko bohot problem ho rahi hain..woh post bohot hi jyada share hua hain..jiski wajah se main toh bahar nehi nikal sakti agar mera lerka bhi bahar nikle toh usse sayed mar denge..sir please ap isme kuch madad kar sakte hain..kyunki hamari future ka bhi sawal hain..bohot logo ne mujhe bhi bohot buri tarike se gali de rahe hain..

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  34. Mai ek gvt teacher hu aur mere partner ek dr …dono ki caste alg hone ki wjh se mere parents ni maan rhe mai bht preshan hu 5 mhine se mujhe preshan kiya ja raha h mai kya karu plz help me.

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  36. I need your help
    Meri partner Muslim hai or Mai Hindu hu hamare relation ko 4 saal ho chuke hai Uske Ghar wale hamare relation ke khilaf hai uske Ghar walo ne use jabardasti gav bhej diya hai or use vo log pareshan Kar rahe hai or mar pit rahe hai mujhe use vaha se vapas lana hai or apne sath rakhna hai but vaha jane ke liye mujhe jaan Ka khatra hai please help me

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    • रुपेश जी हम आपकी परिस्तिथि समझ सकते हैं…पर ऐसी स्तिति में आपकी मुनासिब मदद करने के लिए हमे आपसे कुछ बुनियादी जानकारियां चाहिए…इसलिए आपसे निवेदन है कि आप शीघ्र queries.dhanak@gmail.com पर ईमेल भेजिए….

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  37. Meri gf job krna chahti h pr uske ghr wale use job nhi krne de rhe h yha tk ki vo use aage pdhne v nhi de rhe h wo bina uski mrji ke uski sadi krne pr tule huye h wo mere pas aana chahti h mai apni gf ko job krana chahta hu uski sari dreams puri krna chahta hu wo karnataka ki h wha ke log beti se jaida beto ko pyar krte h aap ke time me h aise maa bap h gussa aata h mujhe aise logo pe plzz sr mai apni gf ko sari khusi dena chahta hu plz help me aap meri aakhri ummid h plzz meri ummid mt todo hm dono ko ek dusre se mila dijiye please

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    • आपकी मित्र के माता पिता उसे पढने और नौकरी करने से इसलिए रोक रहे हैं क्योंकि उन्हें आपके रिश्ते का पता चल गया है….ऐसे में हम आपकी मित्र की पढाई और नौकरी करने में मदद ज़रूर करेंगे…पर पहले आप धनक की प्रारंभिक जानकारी वाली प्रक्रिया पूरी कर लीजिए…

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      • Ji nhi hmare riste ke bare me meri gf ke family ko kuch nhi pta h meri gf bol rhi thi ki wha ke log hi aise h wha ke log lrkiyo ko ek bojh smjhte h aur lrki aur lrke me bhed bhaw krte h wha lrkiyo ko koi aajadi nhi h yha tk ki wha pe lrkiyo ki sadi km umr me hi kr di jati h meri gf mujhse help mang rhi h wo nob krna chahti h pr mai chl fir nhi skta is liye aapki help chahta hu mai apni gf ko ek ache post pe dekhna chahta hu uski sari dreams puri krna chahta hu plzz meri mdd kijiyee

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