The unspoken vow: Pratapgarh man marries girl despite disabling injury to her hrs before nuptials
PRAYAGRAJ: Reminiscent of scenes from blockbuster ‘Vivah’, a real-life, heart-warming story, similar to the reel-life one unfolded in Pratapgarh district recently.
Twenty-two-year-old Aarti, a resident of Pratapgarh’s Mujehadi village of Kunda area and daughter of a farmer, Dukhi Ram Maurya, was set to be married to Awadhesh, a private firm employee in Faridabad and a resident of village Shripur Aruhari in Kunda area of Pratapgarh district. The two were engaged in October 2019 and the marriage was to be solemnised on December 8. “Everyone was busy with lastminute preparations on the day of the marriage. In the afternoon, Aarti was doing some work on the terrace of the house when she slipped and fell. She sustained serious injuries to her back and was rushed to a local hospital from where she was referred to Prayagraj,” her cousin, Shailendra Kushwaha, a trader in fibre products in Prayagraj, said on Monday.
The doctors at Prayagraj’s Lifeline Hospital said that Aarti had injured her spinal cord and would need surgery and a long therapy to regain the use of her legs. “It was all a big shock and we informed the bridegroom’s side about the accident. But they refused to call off the marriage,” Kushwaha added.
Aarti’s father even offered his younger daughter (Aarti’s sister’s hand) in marriage to Awadhesh. But Awadhesh and his family members were sure that they wished to solemnise the marriage with Aarti only and that too as scheduled. “It was an accident that could have happened with anyone including me.
There is no fault of Aarti in it. So, with the blessing of my parents, I decided to go ahead and marry Aarti,” Awadhesh said. On the day of the marriage and the tragic accident, family members got together for a unique marriage ceremony.
Under the supervision of a doctor, Aarti was brought home in an ambulance and a stretcher and the marriage was performed before taking Aarti back to hospital to continue her treatment. “I am sure Aarti will recover. However, come what may, I will always be by her side,” Awadhesh said.