Karachi: Hindu couples walk down the aisle in collective wedding

Pakistan Hindu Council has organised 13th collective marriage ceremony in which eighty Hindu couples tied knots.

President, Pakistan Hindu Council, Gopal Kamuani said the organization is actively engaged in upliftment of the Sindh based community and that mass wedding, over the years, has assumed tremendous importance and a community requirement too.

“It is largely the parents of the would be couples who approach us themselves for the arrangement,” he said.

“Their applications are thoroughly scrutinized ensuring age of the would be couples as well status so that only deservants are served,” said Kamuani mentioning that NICs are prerequisite so as to avoid any under age marriage.

Eighty separate sets of dowry, each comprising crockery, electronic items, bedroom accessories, jewellery, cash and other items for daily use, were also put on display.

PTI MNA Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, the man behind the initiative, talking to Associated Press of Pakistan said idea is to facilitate couples, unable to arrange by themselves the ceremony, involving extensive rituals, due to resource constraints.

“The most righteous act is to help couples who cannot afford extravagant wedding ceremonies required to tie the knot,” he said mentioning that like any other religion marriage is an important component of dharam (religious duty) and also an essential pillar of the Hindu family system.

MPA Mangla Sharma of Muttahida Qaumi Movement also among the guests appreciated that the support would definitely help the couples start their married life with essential support.

Community members on the occasion also acknowledged assistance extended by different organisations and individuals for the much cherished cause.

20 other couples from remote parts of the province will be provided with similar assistance in next few days time.

Of the 80 couples at the Sunday’s combined marriage ceremony, 14 were from Karachi wile remaining were from other different districts of the province, said Ramani that was also further confirmed by Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.