Rajasthan: Wedding sans rituals, guests get tea, biscuits

UDAIPUR: When one talks of Indian weddings, elaborate revelries like mehendi, haldi, sangeet and a lavish buffet come immediately to mind. However, in Pratapgarh, a couple decided to get married sans rituals and follow austerity in the celebrations.
The groom was dressed in a casual pant-shirt, while the bride didn’t have any jewellery on her and neither were her palms adorned by mehendi.Some 25 guests including relatives and close family members from both the sides sat on the ground while ‘KabirVani’ was played and within 17 minutes, the wedding was solemnised. The couple wanted to break away from these rituals to create awareness among people against superstition.
Rekha, the bride, daughter of Kamalchandra from Chatarpura village in Arnod tehsil of Pratapgarh, married Perulal, son of Ramchandra from Amaliyapada Beed of Ratlam district in Madhya Pradesh.
There was no reception and the guests were served tea and biscuits only. No pheras or varmala rituals were performed.
“The disciples of Kabirpanthi Sant Rampalji Maharaj and members of the Labana Samaj are doing away with the rituals and social evils related to weddings such as dowry, squandering money lavishly on gifts and receptions etc,” spokesman Sohan Panwar said.
Such simple weddings are known as ‘Ramaini’ among them, where not even invitation cards are printed.