THIS ‘BASANTI’ WALKS TO HER VEERU’S HOUSE TO MARRY HIM

Kanpur (UP) May 23: A groom landing at bride’s place to tie nuptial knot is the tradition, but with the lockdown threatening to defer her marriage again, a gusty 19-year-old woman decided to break the custom. She marched 80 kms all alone from Kanpur to Kannauj early this week to wed her fiance, said a police official.

Goldie of Laxman Tilak village in Dera Mangalpur block in Kanpur Dehat district had been engaged for quite some time to Veeru alias Virendra Kumar Rathor of Baisapur village near Taalgram in Kannauj district.

Their marriage was last slated to be held on May 4, only to be postponed then. But Goldie’s patience was already wearing thin with the continuing lockdown threatening to defer the subh murhut (auspicious occasion) further drove her tolerance to the brink.

And so one fine morning early this week, Goldie sneaked out of her house and set off on foot for her beloved’s place 80 kms away and reached there well in time by evening.

Startled at the sudden arrival of the bride, Veeru’s parent’s first informed Golide’s father Gorelal. Veeru’s parents also tried to persuade their would-be daughterin-law to have some patience and return home till they get her married to their son after reaching her home with the band baja barrat as per the custom.

But a gusty Goldie had enough of the endless waiting, and she put her foot down, forcing her sweetheart and his parents to bow to her wishes.

Veeru’s parents eventually arranged for the wedding fineries for the couple, summoned the priest and have the couple take saptpadi (seven irrevocable steps) around the fire and solemnized the marriage.

- PTI