Narayan Seva Sansthan's 43rd Disabled and Underprivileged Mass Wedding
Shabnam Bano
Udaipur: Everyone has the right to dream, regardless of whether they are physically disabled or not. The marriage of disabled individuals brings them a new life filled with dignity. However, due to societal prejudices and poverty, many are unable to marry on time. To break this social mindset, Narayan Seva Sansthan, Udaipur, has been working for the past 20 years to help differently-abled people start their families. This time, on 8th-9th February, the institution is organizing its 43rd Free Mass Wedding for the disabled and underprivileged, aiming to unite them in marriage and help them build a new life together.
The mass wedding will be held at the Seva Mahateerth campus in Badi, Udaipur. Prominent social workers from across the country will attend the ceremony, with invitations sent out via yellow rice.
**Involvement of 51 Couples and Their Happiness**
In a press conference, Bhagwan Prasad Gaud, the Public Relations Head of the institution, announced that the first mass wedding of 2025 will bring joy to the lives of 51 couples. Among them, 28 are disabled, and 23 come from underprivileged families. He also mentioned that extensive arrangements have been made for the ceremony, including the construction of a large dome at Seva Mahateerth, where all the wedding rituals, such as Ganesh Puja, Mehendi, Haldi, women’s musical event, the exchange of garlands, and the Vedic wedding vows, will be performed.
A poster for the 43rd Mass Wedding of Disabled and Underprivileged was released during the press conference by Bhagwan Prasad Gaud, Media Incharge Vishnu Sharma Hitaishi, Wedding Coordinator Rohit Tiwari, and Banshilal Meghwal.
**Couples from Various States to Take Seven Pheras**
Coordinator Rohit Tiwari shared that couples from various states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh, will be united in marriage. These couples, along with their families, have started arriving in Udaipur from Thursday.
**Couples with Various Disabilities**
In this unique wedding, some grooms and brides are either born with disabilities or became disabled due to accidents. There are also couples where one partner is disabled and the other is able-bodied. Some brides have congenital blindness, while their partners will light their paths with their sight. Some brides and grooms are amputees, while others have missing limbs. All of them will start a new chapter of their lives, leaving behind painful memories.
**51 Vedic Rituals with 51 Scholars**
At the wedding venue, 51 sacred altars have been set up, each accompanied by a fire pit where the wedding vows and Vedic chants will be performed. The wedding rituals will be conducted according to the traditional methods, with a chief scholar appointed to guide the process. Many couples have had their disabilities surgically treated at the institution, and some even met their future partners there. Some couples have also undergone self-employment training at the institution, laying the foundation for their self-reliant lives.
**Wedding Rituals Begin with Ganesh Puja**
The wedding festivities will begin on 8th February with Ganesh Puja, followed by Haldi and Mehendi rituals. In the evening, a musical event for women will take place, where guests, parents, and family members will actively participate. On 9th February, the wedding ceremony will take place, where the grooms will perform traditional rituals like the Toran ceremony. Afterward, the exchange of garlands will take place with a shower of rose petals.
**Blessings for the New Couples**
During the wedding ceremony, Padma Shri Kailash 'Manav', the founder of the institution, along with co-founder Kamla Devi Ji and other invited guests, will light lamps and bless the newlywed couples. The religious leaders and family members will play a key role in inspiring the couples. The entire ceremony will be broadcast live across various media platforms. Around 1,000 guests from cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Raipur, Kolkata, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Shimla, etc., will also bless the couples.
**Committees and Arrangements**
The institution has set up a control room at Seva Mahateerth to ensure the smooth execution of this grand two-day wedding ceremony. Various committees have been formed to handle different aspects such as guest reception, registration, food, cleanliness, transportation, accommodations, security, medical services, electricity, water, women's musical event arrangements, and stage setup.
**Gifts for the Couples**
The newlywed couples will be gifted essential household items, including utensil sets, gas stoves, trunks, tables, chairs, bedding, clocks, fans, clothing, grooming kits, mangalsutras, earrings, toe rings, anklets, rings, and other items.
**Doli for 51 Brides**
After the marriage ceremony, the newlyweds will be bid farewell with blessings for a happy married life. The brides will be seated in traditional palanquins, which will be carried out of the campus and taken to waiting vehicles. From there, they will be transported to the railway station and nearby villages in the institution's vehicles.
**Background**
The institution has been organizing mass weddings for the disabled since 2004. To date, 42 such weddings have been held, benefiting 2,408 couples, all of whom are now leading happy lives with their children and families.
**Some Couples’ Stories:**
- **Blind Puja and Disabled Sunil**
Puja from Gazipur (UP) lost her eyesight due to smallpox at the age of 4. Currently pursuing a special M.Ed., she met Sunil Kumar at a bus station. Sunil became disabled due to polio at the age of 5. After a brief encounter, Sunil proposed marriage to Puja, assuring her that he would care for her forever. Puja happily accepted the proposal, and both families supported their decision.
- **Two Incomplete Hearts**
Hem Kumari from Kirkar village in Chhattisgarh and Subhash Dhobi from Ahmedabad (Gujarat) both rely on wheelchairs due to their disabilities. Hem Kumari lost the use of her legs after an injection’s side effects during a fever at age three. Subhash was born with polio and has lived with a disability. Subhash plays wheelchair cricket for Gujarat’s state team and also works in online marketing. He met Hem during a cricket match in Raipur, and after a month of friendship, they decided to marry. Both families agreed to their decision.
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