MORE THAN 150 couples belonging to the minority community tied the knot at a mass wedding arranged at Malviya Nagar grounds on Sunday afternoon.
Close to 8,000 people participated in the programme, which culminated at 5 pm with a community feast. The en masse marriage comes around a month after a parichay sammelan (introductory meet) between eligible Muslim boys and girls belonging to the Teli sect.
Anxious bridegrooms accompanied by parents and hundreds of relatives started streaming into the ground from early morning to be met by nervous brides-to-be and their parents.
By noon, when the ‘nikah’ was read out, the venue was packed to the gills with a sparkling sea of humanity clad in gota and jewellery. A loud cheer went up every time a bride whispered ‘Manzoor hai’ (I accept) when asked by the Qazi whether the alliance met with her approval.
Amid much rejoicing and bursting of crackers the mass marriage finally concluded with a meal of mutton and baflas. Although an annual feature, this was the first time that the mass marriage was held at the Malviya Nagar grounds being shifted from the earlier venue, Anoop Nagar garden, after local residents objected.
“The Anoop Nagar garden is being developed as part of the garden beautification scheme and the residents felt that the mass marriage would despoil the garden. So we moved the venue to Malviya Nagar ground,” revealed an organiser who did not want to be named.
“The Anoop Nagar garden is being developed as part of the garden beautification scheme and the residents felt that the mass marriage would despoil the garden. So we moved the venue to Malviya Nagar ground,” revealed an organiser who did not want to be named.