A wedding without a groom goes ahead in all its splendour as the man’s sister ties the knot on his behalf.
Now, would you call this a marraige?
Kamalesh Chandran, 26, with dreams in his eyes was all set to fly from Dubai to wed his sweetheart but had to return to his accomodation after having waited for hours at the airport expecting to get his passport.
Chandran works at a furniture company in Al Barsha, Dubai, could not reach the marriage venue in Kerala, on time (Thursday May 3, 2012), because his female boss did not release his passport.
And so, at the pre-destined time Chandran’s sister (Kavitha) tied the holy knot on his behalf. And thus 20-year-old Shari Krishna became his wife, he believes.
His sister stepped in only to avoid cancellation of a marriage fixed almost a month ago.
“And again as per custom the Hindu caste that he belongs to the groom just places the Mangalasoothra (a golden chain which symbolizes the man’s commitment to his wife) and it is his sister who ties the knot.
However, some legal experts beg to differ.
Says Adovcate Hashik Thayikandi: “As per the Hindu marriage act, the bride and bridegroom have to physicallywalk around a sacred fire, or a lighted lamp, three times and the bridegroom has to tie a holy knot on the lady’s neck.
Afterwards, they have to sign the marriage registration documents.
“Any Hindu marriages conducted without following this basic rule will be null and void. In this case, they have mentally accepted each other and the sister tying the holy knot can be accepted by both the families. If it is to be a legal marriage, the bride and bridegroom should sign the marriage register too.”
But some Hindu religious experts say that the sisters normally tie the knot because the grooms get panicky at the crucial moment and their fingers tremble.
Kamalesh, from Alappuzha, Kerala has been working under an unmarried lady boss for almost three and half years and claims she tried in various ways to prevent him from leaving the country to tie the holy knot.
Now the Indian worker who earns Dh2,300 per month has approached the Indian Consulate in Dubai and the Labour Office here to get his passport.
“I have approached the Indian Consulate and the Dubai Police to complaint against my boss, for not allowing me to go home for the marriage. The Indian Consulate intervened and the boss is now summoned to the Labour Office on Sunday,” he says.
“The company booked my ticket for May 1 and my plan was to reach Nedumbassery International Airport in the afternoon and reach home one day before the marriage.
“However, I had to wait for hours at the airport for my passport, which was held by the lady sponsor. Despite repeated calls she did not come and deliver the passport.
“As I could not travel according to my plans, I informed my family about the mess. As per the advice of Hindu religious experts, my sister, Kavitha, married mother of two, tied the holy knot and my marriage took place in my absence.
“I saw Shari in March 2012 when I was in Kerala for a 15 days’ vacation. Now I will go back after solving the work related problems here,” he added.
“My ‘wife’ was too sad and upset. But after the marriage, I spoke to her in detail. She is now happy and keenly waiting for my arrival. She told me to take my own time and settle all the problems, before coming back home for the honeymoon.”
Meanwhile, his air ticket is cancelled and the company is offering him a fresh ticket. He says he had to pay Dh3,000 to get his passport back.
“Now we have almost reached a compromise with my madam, who hails from Pakistan. I don’t know Hindi much, but we communicate through an intermediary,” Kamalesh added.
The company management could not be contacted, but a source said several employees had left the firm, inviting some fine for the furniture company, which has only two employees currently.