Happy anniversary to the girl who taught me how to love & be loved ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zm5sAhqIxP — Anjali C. (@anj3llyfish) July 31, 2019

Like many couples, Anjali Chakra and Sundas Malik recently celebrated their one year anniversary. But unlike many betrothed, their love has gone viral. Chakra is a Hindu woman from India and Malik is a Muslim artist from Pakistan. Both are living in New York City, and the two ladies posed together in a beautiful photoshoot by Sarowar Ahmed that proves, once again, that love is love.

In the images, Chakra and Malik pose in traditional gowns in Midtown Manhattan. Under the lights of the Bryant Park ferris wheel, they share a kiss. Their love is sweet and not anything unusual on the streets of New York. But, as Malik points out, that’s not the case everywhere in the world; their same-sex relationship offers hope to those who can’t live as open and as free. “I grew up witnessing and watching different kinds of love, some in my family and some in Bollywood,” she writes. “After I got a little older and realized what my sexuality was, I never saw representation of people who looked like me. I'm so glad I have the opportunity to be that with the love of my life.”

Many people are praising the series of photos as larger symbols of a same-sex love that transcends borders and brings together divided nations. “When Anjali and I went viral, our relationship was politicized beyond our imagination,” Malik explains. “The Hindu-Muslim, Pakistani-Indian dynamic of our relationship was brought up in most conversations about us. Although the overwhelming response was great, we never really thought the bond we share with each other would be a ‘mending’ barrier between two religions and cultures always in conflict.”

Being brought up in a “predominantly conservative Sunni household,” Malik didn’t have that many Hindu friends. She was understandably nervous to attend her first puja, a Hindu prayer ritual that worships one or more deities. “But Anjali and her parents answered all of my inquisitive questions about the different Gods and Goddesses and what they represented during the ceremony. I'm excited to learn more about Hinduism as Anjali and I grow together and can't wait to have her celebrate Eid with me!”

Anjali Chakra and Sundas Malik recently celebrated their one year anniversary, and their sweet photoshoot went viral.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sarowar (@sarowarrr) on Jul 28, 2019 at 3:33pm PDT

Chakra is a Hindu woman from India and Malik is a Muslim artist from Pakistan.

People are applauding the images for LGBTQ representation as well as symbols of a same-sex love that transcends borders and brings together divided nations.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anjali (@anjalichakra) on Oct 9, 2019 at 9:00am PDT

But for the couple, their love is just their love. “We never really thought the bond we share with each other would be a ‘mending’ barrier between two religions and cultures always in conflict.”

Learn more about Chakra and Malik's love story in the video below:

h/t: [Reddit]

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