Band, baaja and big baaraat without a bride!

AHMEDABAD: On May 10, in Champlanar village — about 22km from Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district — people participated in a unique wedding. On the previous night, garba had been organized and Ajay Barot, 27, was smeared with ubtan (haldi). On the big day on Friday, Ajay got onto a mare decked in a sherwani and his headgear was lavished with flowers. Approximately 200 people were part of the procession as it travelled through the village after which 800 people enjoyed a grand feast near Ajay’s residence.
The rituals were all according to the traditional Gujarati wedding but there was one difference — there was no bride!
The Barot family decided to fulfil the wish of its elder son Ajay, who has learning disabilities, to have his own wedding procession like his cousins had.

Kamlesh Barot, Ajay’s uncle, told TOI that Ajay is fond of dance and never misses any wedding in the village. “In February, my son got married. Ajay had always wanted such an occasion for himself and that wedding intensified his demand,” he said. “The family got together and decided that he would have his ‘varghodo’ (wedding procession). We had wedding invitations printed, performed all the rituals by getting a priest, and organized the procession and the feast. Ajay was beaming throughout.”
The son of Vishnu Barot, a conductor with the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation, Ajay was diagnosed with learning impairment at an early age. He was sent to a special school at Himmatnagar but he soon quit formal education. He lost his mother at an early age after which his father got married again. The family said that it is very difficult to get him a match and thus like many people with disabilities, Ajay might never have a real wedding.
“The event was not just to keep Ajay happy — it was also about the family finding solace in the fact that he could experience it,” said Vishnu Barot. “There was no intention of mocking weddings or his sentiments. We know it will be difficult for him to get married. We were heartened that so many of our relatives and villagers became a part of the event.”
According to Census 2011 data, about 42% of persons with disabilities never married in India because of socio-economic factors.