Differently-abled, but to live happily ever after

Community marriage ceremonies aren’t simply an explicit arena for normal youth only.  
Others equally enjoy it. An ample testimony to this was the mass marriage ceremony held for the differently-abled persons in the city on 16th Feb 2013 ( saturday )  .

More than 40 couples with disabilities tied the nuptial knot at city-based Ashirwad Bhavan in the traditional Hindu manner with the bride and grooms arriving even from other parts of the State.

The brides and grooms for the mass marriage ceremony had arrived from Dhamtari, Korba and Bhilai with their parents and relatives with the marriage being held exactly like being conducted in any home with full vedic rituals.

The mass marriage ceremony was organised jointly by Central Marwari Yuva Manch Raipur, Kanya Kubja Sabha, Shiksha Mandal and Senior Citizen Welfare Forum.

It may be mentioned that the Chhattisgarh Government offers cash amounting to Rs21,000 to each couple participating in a mass marriage with some household items as encouragement towards the system of mass marriages.

On Saturday, two organisations — Kanchan Ganga Ladies’ Club and Samta Satsang Mahila Mandal — were announced as organisations who performed ‘Kanyadaan’ in the community marriage ceremony held on Saturday.

The system of community marriages began in the State since 2005 and thereafter, the ceremonies were being held in Bilaspur for four years. The community marriages are now being held in Raipur for the past five years.
The maximum numbers of weddings in the community marriage ceremony were held in Raipur in 2008 totalling 92 couples which was included in the ‘Limca Book of Records’.

In 2010, marriage of 68 couples were solemnised while in 2011 again 68 couples were married in a community marriage. In 2012, a total of 65 marriages were held and on Saturday afternoon 45 couples tied the nuptial knot in Raipur.


Source :  The Pioneer , Raipur ( 16th feb 2013 )