A young couple showed their love and respect for the family first by accepting rescheduling of engagement and marriage as the mother of the groom tested positive for COVID and when the virus took the life of the elder woman of the house the couple ritualistically completed the marriage by exchanging garlands with the body as witness.
The heart-rending incident occurred at Ismailkhanpet village, on the outskirts of the district headquarters town, on Thursday.
Palpanuri Rakesh, a resident of Ismailkhanpet village, had gone to the USA few years ago for higher education and employment. He has been working there for the past few years. His family had finalised his marriage with a girl from the district and their engagement was scheduled for May 6, followed by marriage on May 21.
Fate in the form of the coronavirus intervened and infected Mr. Rakesh’s 49-year-old mother Renuka. As a result both the events were rescheduled. Ms. Renuka was admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad for treatment. She breathed her last on Thursday and the body was brought back home. The family had faced another tragedy in the meantime with Ms. Renuka’s elder brother Srisailam succumbing to the virus some 10 days earlier.
Even as the entire family was in a shock and immersed in grief, Mr. Rakesh felt he would honour his mother’s memory by completing the marriage ritual, albeit without fanfare, before the funeral. He sought the consent of members of his family and the bride and her family for his idea.
On Thursday the young couple got married by exchange of garlands in the presence of both families and in front of the mortal remains of Mr. Rakesh’s mother.
“After exchanging garlands both of them put those garlands on Renuka’s body and sought her blessings from the abode of the Almighty. It’s a great tribute to a departed mother by her son,” said Mr. Manohar Goud, a close relative of Rakesh. Last rites of Ms. Renuka were performed on Thursday itself.