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No cloud over this marriage: Indore men tie the knot for rain as wives and kids watch
Indore has received 20% less rainfall this year, and local customs say the rain god’s attention can be drawn by out-of-the-ordinary occurrences.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in India but that didn’t stop two men in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore from getting married in a traditional Hindu ceremony this week in an effort to please the rain god Indra.
The two men, Sakaram Ahirwar and Rakesh Adjan, both have wives and children but went through the ceremony on Thursday because local customs say the rain god’s attention can be drawn by out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. Indore has received 20% less rainfall this year.
The men were dressed in traditional wedding attire and the ceremony was preceded by scores of “baraatis” dancing to film songs and marching through the Musakheri neighbourhood.
A Hindu priest officiated the rituals in front of a traditional holy fire, in front of a large crowd that included the wives and children.
The organiser of the marriage, Ramesh Singh Tomar, said the two grooms worked under him and that he hit upon the idea of getting two men to marry each other.
“All this was done to draw attention of Lord Indra, who is believed to be God of rain so that he showers his blessings in the form of rain in this area,” Tomar said, who himself is a water supplier.
Whether Lord Indra was pleased or not only time will tell, but it did rain briefly while the marriage was going on which everyone took as a positive sign. After the marriage, there was a feast and as for the two grooms – they went back to their respective homes to their family.
