Yes, same thing in UP as well. Yeah exceptions do exist. Even one of my cousin married her maternal uncle's son. Her mom died in het childhood and she had no connection with them for 20 years. They met after her husband when the family rekindled. Her father was quite upset but they let her marry him. Also qasim was distant cousin for them i think. That's why i think he liked sitara on the first sight while she was dancing. Baki i have heard news about people even killing their children for marrying in same gotras. Baki rakhi brothers are a no - no category i guess. During rakhi i think we tie ralhi to every male present in our vicinity.
True. Some families let it go. In same gotra marriage, actually my own parents are from the same gotra. And so my mom never needed to change her surname. But it is rare. Really rare. Plus, in Bengal, these rules are not as strictly applied as Hindi belt.
Qasim is second cousin (children of cousins) to Ehtisham, Salman, Nimi and Zoya (and her brother). Like his late father and Ehtisham, Salman and Nimi's dad and Zoya's mom were cousins. ES and N's dad and Zoya's mom were siblings. Khala Bi is the khala saas to Phupho that Khala Bi is the maternal aunt of Phupho's late husband. Honestly, Qasim was not related by blood to Sitara but still, here, it would have been really awkward.
Rakhi brothers are a wholly different category. Can cut across religions and everything. Also, there are two types of rakhi brothers - those who are genuinely like your brothers and then there exists a whole category of unwanted admirers who are forcibly made rakhi brothers by girls just so that they stop trying to woo them. 
hyderabad mein hi she has become special for her. Agr ye msg ka kand na hota, to peeche phir bhi nhi chodna tha isne
Like even if you are say eighth cousins, even if you belong to the same gotra which is patriline and are legally eligible, you are just...I dunno....still looked upon weirdly. Like that is still your distant cousin.
..its just that when I fall love with characters, my mind play out the 