Warangal: In a touching event in the midst and the all-pervading heat and dust of the elections, a family performed the formal marriage ceremony of their grandparents, 60 years after they came together in a ‘Gandharva Vivaha’.
The groom was 80-year-old Guguloth Samida Naik and the bride, Lalamma, 70. The ceremony was held at Vasthra thanda of Nellikuduru mandal of Mahbubabad district. This erased Lalamma’s 60-year-old desire to have a formal marriage.
Hinduism allows weddings without the involvement of society such as Gandharva Vivaha. It is one of eight types of marriages, which only involves the groom and the bride exchanging garlands.
After their Gandharva Vivaha, the couple had four sons, a daughter and many grandchildren.
“Our grandmother used to feel sad about marrying our grandfather in the Gandharva style. She used to regret not having a mangalsutra like all others,” said a grandchild of the elderly couple.
To make up for it, their grandchildren performed the formal wedding of their grandparents by following all Hindu rituals. All their children and grandchildren were present, as also their relatives, friends and villagers.
They had announced the marriage in their village through a flexi poster.
The grandchildren posted photographs and videos of the marriage on social media platforms, which went viral. The grandchildren received appreciation from a large number of people for showing concern for the wishes of their grandparents and taking the effort to fulfil them.
While Hindus have a practice of reenacting the marriage as part of Shashtipurti ceremony when the husband attains the age of 60 years, this marriage is unique as the couple uttered wedding vows, which are part of default Hindu wedding, for the first time after they got married 60 years back.
