Nagpur: A Buddhist priest solemnized a marriage through video call at Dharampeth on Tuesday, setting a unique example amid lockdown. The marriage was made possible by Zonal DCP Vivek Masaal, who granted the priest permission to travel from Lava in Wadi for completing the rituals.
Sonu Awale, 32, tied the knot with Shalaka Bahadure, 28, with blessings from Bhante Bodhiratna, the priest who chanted the sacred verses on a video call made from his vihara (Buddhist monastery). The marriage was completed within 20 minutes with the groom’s mother, bride’s parents and her two family members. The family maintained social distancing norms too and refrained from inviting guests.
The groom is now contemplating a feast for 500 needy people with the money saved from the truncated marriage ceremony, which had to be kept at a bare minimum.
The only son of his family, bank employee Awale had to abandon his grand plan and settle for an austere ceremony in the ongoing lockdown to fulfil the dream of his bed-ridden father, who had suffered a paralytic attack last year. Four of his elder sisters were married, but the father wished to see his youngest son getting hitched too.
Awale had made up his mind to enter into wedlock with Shalaka, an accountant, in September last year. The marriage plan had to be abandoned due to the lockdown.
Apprehensive about his father’s health, Awale had applied for permission with the police department in April but it was rejected. He was finally helped by Zonal DCP Masaal, who summoned Awale at Wadi police station and approved his application. “The DCP issued me a pass within 30 minutes after hearing my plight, following which I decided to follow his conditions to the letter,” he said.
Full report on www.toi.in
Awale said he wanted to take the priest along, but only two persons could travel in the car apart from the driver, as per the lockdown norms. “I took my mother with me and reached Shalaka’s place. She too had invited only two guests apart from her parents,” he said.
“I had requested my friend to reach the vihara and make a video call from there to facilitate the priest’s conducting of the ceremony. We projected the video call on the television at the bride’s place, which also gave an amplified sound,” said Awale.
Sonu Awale, 32, tied the knot with Shalaka Bahadure, 28, with blessings from Bhante Bodhiratna, the priest who chanted the sacred verses on a video call made from his vihara (Buddhist monastery). The marriage was completed within 20 minutes with the groom’s mother, bride’s parents and her two family members. The family maintained social distancing norms too and refrained from inviting guests.
The groom is now contemplating a feast for 500 needy people with the money saved from the truncated marriage ceremony, which had to be kept at a bare minimum.
The only son of his family, bank employee Awale had to abandon his grand plan and settle for an austere ceremony in the ongoing lockdown to fulfil the dream of his bed-ridden father, who had suffered a paralytic attack last year. Four of his elder sisters were married, but the father wished to see his youngest son getting hitched too.
Awale had made up his mind to enter into wedlock with Shalaka, an accountant, in September last year. The marriage plan had to be abandoned due to the lockdown.
Apprehensive about his father’s health, Awale had applied for permission with the police department in April but it was rejected. He was finally helped by Zonal DCP Masaal, who summoned Awale at Wadi police station and approved his application. “The DCP issued me a pass within 30 minutes after hearing my plight, following which I decided to follow his conditions to the letter,” he said.
Full report on www.toi.in
Awale said he wanted to take the priest along, but only two persons could travel in the car apart from the driver, as per the lockdown norms. “I took my mother with me and reached Shalaka’s place. She too had invited only two guests apart from her parents,” he said.
“I had requested my friend to reach the vihara and make a video call from there to facilitate the priest’s conducting of the ceremony. We projected the video call on the television at the bride’s place, which also gave an amplified sound,” said Awale.
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