Kerala bride misses her wedding, patients at Covid care home make it memorable with special celebration

A Covid-19 care home in Kochi witnessed an unusual wedding celebration on Thursday and a video of the ceremony has gone viral on social media. A day before her wedding, 19-year-old P Faziya tested positive and was shifted to a Covid care centre in Mattancherry. Upset, she was confined to a room at the centre.

But inmates of the Covid care home made her day special with a surprise party on the wedding day. They dressed her up in bridal finery and conducted a beautiful ‘oppana’ (a dance and song ritual during Muslim weddings). The video shows other patients of the care home dancing and singing around her to cheer her up.

“While she was shifted to the care home, we came to know that next day was her wedding. Officials shared this information with some of the inmates and they readily agreed to give her befitting party. As entertainment events are allowed in the wards to ward off fear and stigma, all enjoyed the party,” said health inspector K Sudheer. Her relatives later said her ‘nikkah’ (wedding) was solemnised on the day it was fixed in a mosque since the presence of the bride was not mandatory.

The video of the celebration ends with a selfie of the beaming Faziya surrounded by other patients at the centre. An inmate also arranged special biryani and sweets to add enough colour to the event.

“It was a memorable day. I was in tears. They all rose up to the occasion to cheer me up,” said Faziya who is doing her graduation.