LUCKNOW: Amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown to check coronavirus spread, people in townships are not just showing a higher level of awareness, sensibility but are also calling off weddings or making it a low-key affair.
In one such incident, the wedding of Satish, 26, and Reena, 22, which was scheduled for March 25 in Singahi township of Bareilly was solemenised in the presence of just 8 members of both the families.
Taking the initiative, the groom decided to take just four of his family members along, all masked, as baratis to the bride’s place.
Upon reaching his in-laws place, he and four of his baratis were welcomed with the sanitiser, soap and water at ‘dwarchar’ (welcome at the gate). The girl’s side was ready with a priest, who was also wearing a mask, to solemnize the marriage.
Cutting short the rituals, both the groom and the bride took the vows of marriage while wearing mask and the ceremony concluded within an hour. On the other, in Gorakhpur, two grooms were denied permission at Indo-Nepal border to cross over for marriage on Tuesday. In fact, the Nepal government has also announced a lockdown and has sealed all its borders. “I will have to make all the arrangements afresh. We are disappointed but have to follow the restrictions,” said one of the grooms.
Grooms denied entry, return without brides
While Mehboob Alam of Maharajganj had nikah fixed with Shabnam of Kapilvastu in Nepal, Rafiq Ahmad of Kampierganj too had to tie knot with a girl from neighbouring country. But both had to return empty handed as Nepal authorities denied permission to cross over border.