THRISSUR: Big fat weddings and customary nuptial ceremonies just turned passe. The new fad:Green wedding.Two environmentalists are turning the whole ‘marriage industry’ on its head by blithely fighting shy of rituals, bling, and all the frills associated with a traditional wedding.
And what’s more, each person attending the function will be gifted with a tree sapling. Irish, 27, and Hita, 22, will solemnise their union by planting a tree, call it a ‘ceremony’ if you wish. Irish has posted a Facebook invite for the wedding to take place at Kunnumel Veedu at Perambra, in Kozhikode at 3 pm on February 19.
Why is there no religious ceremony? “My father is a Muslim and mother a Christian. My mother passed away when I was a kid. My maternal uncle brought me up as a Christian. For this reason, my father left me. I went to Church religiously till I turned 15 or 16. Later, I drifted away from Christianity and became a non-believer,” she said.
For Hita, growing up with liberal parents and without religious inclinations, the choice was a natural progression of sorts. Irish, hailing from Kanhangad, is an active member of Green Ways, an environment group fighting against deforestation. He met Hita’s father Asokan, an organic farmer from Perambra, at an environmental programme. Through Asokan, he met Hita. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“We have been good friends for the past three years. The marriage was fixed three months ago. It is an arranged marriage. When we found a common ground in our life we discussed it with our family members.
They agreed without a hitch. They brought up Hita and her sister without religious inclinations. And hence, we were on the same page on this,” Irish said.
Irish posted his marriage invitation on Facebook on January 5. Hita is a doctor. Green Ways has been actively promoting ‘green weddings’ among the members of the community.