When Vinay Vastrad and Shruti J decided to get married, their families did not refer to the almanac for an auspicious mahurat. Instead, the Bengaluru-based IT couple followed the writings and code of late Indian scholar, MM Kalburgi.
They are the first couple to break the barriers of superstition in a country where marriages are not solemnised without a mahurat.
Image courtesy: Facebook
Wedding preparations
Slated for Sunday, June 12, the couple invited their friends through a Facebook invitation page. They even asked their guests to “carry a smile” as a gift.
On their D-day, they were joined by musicians Mrutyunjay Hiremath and Gurunath Sutar on stage, who rendered vachanas in simple Kannada. These vachanas were composed by Sharanas, the mystics of the 12th century and are not usually part of traditional weddings. They are often replaced by shlokas.
Image courtesy: Facebook
The backdrop of the stage was also rather interesting.
Instead of a complete flower bed display at the back, which is the usual trend, the couple chose to display scrolls of vachanas and poems related to marriage. It also marked a tribute to the late scholar.
Continue reading to see how this interesting marriage was performed.
How this marriage was performed
The couple invited Pt Narasimhalu Vadavati to play the clarinet and present the ‘Lingayat Vivaha Panchaka,’ which is a poem composed by Prof MM Kalburgi (who was gunned down by unidentified assailants last year).
Image courtesy: Facebook
Litterateur Guruling Kapse, was also invited and he administered an oath to the couple, affirming their allegiance to the Indian Constitution. He also recited vachanas, called this marriage “an effort to show how our culture can be saved.”
New traditions
The couple also decided that a mangalsutra cannot just be a symbol for the bride, but the groom must also display his commitment through an ornament.
So when Vastrad tied the ‘mangalya’ (mangalsutra) onto Shruti’s nexk, she reciprocated by tying a Rudraksh mala around his neck.
They also started a new tradition where instead of the guest coming up to the couple to bless them, the couple decided to go to each guest asking for their blessings.
Image courtesy: Facebook
In addition, instead of the customary akshata (sanctified rice grains), the couple decided to opt for a petal shower. “The Sharanas tell us that when lakhs of people are deprived of food, we should not waste even a single grain,” Chinnavva Vastrad, the bridegroom’s mother, said while speaking to a daily.
Father Chandrashekhar Vastrad, who is a disciple of Kalburgi, said, “While constructing our house, we didn’t consider vaastu, but are leading a peaceful life for the past 20 years,” he stated.
Shruti, the bride also recalled how she had to pursuade her family to solemnise this kind of wedding. “They agreed to it only after several rounds of discussions. I have never been interested in the conventional marriage either, where we shell out lakhs of rupees.”
We wish the happy couple the very best!
Read: Try these 7 super cool ways to recycle your wedding lehenga
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