‘MAHAMARI’ INVADES HINDU WEDDING VOWS!

Half a century ago, a five-judge Supreme Court Constitution bench said that Hindu religion may broadly be described “as a way of life and nothing more”. The mahamari (pandemic) of coronavirus is proving this to be correct again. Hindu religion adapts to changes that come in society from time-to-time.

Many Hindu wedding priests have incorporated the word mahamari in the vows that they ask couples to take at the time of the knot tying ceremony. One of the vows is that both bridegroom and the bride promise that they would take care of each other at the time of any dukh and bimari. Now they have inserted word mahamari in this solemn promise.

Some pundits have added a “mask ceremony” to the

“sat phere”. They give one mask each to the boy and girl and ask them to exchange among themselves before the start of the ceremony. “This symbolises that both promise to protect each other at the time of a ‘mahamari’ like Covid-19,” a priest in a Delhi temple said.

Meanwhile, a couple which sought protection from the Punjab and Haryana High Court after tying the knot against family wishes has been fined Rs 10,000 “for not wearing masks during the wedding ceremony.”

Referring to photos attached with the protection petition, Justice Hari Pal Verma asserted that the petitioners and others at the time of wedding were not wearing masks. “Accordingly, the petitioners are burdened with Rs 10,000 as costs to be deposited with th EDC, Hoshiarpur, within 15 days,” Justice Verma said, adding that “the amount would be utilised for arranging masks for public.”