The Matchmaker of Budgam

In a world of profit-driven promises, a Budgam man arranges marriages the good old way.

- Gowher Bhat

Mohamad Ayoub leans back on a plastic chair outside his shop in Kazipura, a quintessential Kashmiri village in Budgam district. He watches the road as if waiting for someone, though no one in particular is expected.

Behind him, shelves of salt, lentils, and oil cans line the walls. His store is small but steady, like the man himself.

He's not just a shopkeeper. For the last fifteen years, Ayoub has been something else too.

This Budgam matchmaker is not the usual kind with a database or office, but a trusted connector of families. He doesn’t charge a rupee, and doesn't advertise. He simply listens, remembers, and gently brings people together.

“Almighty has given me enough,” he says, gesturing toward the shop and the orchard beyond. “I don't need anything more. I do this work for humanity.”

In a place where weddings can be costly and matchmaking has become an industry of middlemen and deception, Ayoub's social cause stands out.

He arranges marriages for families who can’t afford dowries or matchmaker fees. He never promises more than what is true. And he stays until the families are sure.