As many as 27 couples get married at a mass wedding ceremony under one umbrella, at Gurudwara Saheb Barambala.
It was a dream come true for 27 Sikh couples who got married in a grand ceremony, without spending a penny, in the presence of over 25,000 Sikhs who came from across the state to bless them.
The happiest of them were the couples' parents, who had probably never imagined their sons and daughters would get married amid such pomp. Government officials and Sikh heads graced the function and blessed the newly-wed couples, gifting them cheques on behalf of the government.
The weddings were organised by the Prabhandak Committee, Gurudwara Saheb Barambala, Sikh Chawni, Attapur, under the chairmanship of S Gurcharan Singh Bagga.
On Sunday, as many as 27 couples got married at a "Samuhik Vivaha Samagam" (mass weddings) under one umbrella at Gurudwara Saheb Barambala, in the presence of noted religious heads. Most of the brides and bridegrooms hailed from Hyderabad, and a few from other districts.
The Samuhik Vivaha Samagam started at 10am, with a colourful "baraat" of bridegrooms, who came in processions on horses from Asha Singh Bagh Gurudwara, Sikh Chawni, to Gurudwara Barambala Saheb. "Anand Karaj (Lawan Phere)", i. e., the solemnising of the marriages was performed at 11am.
All the Sikh gurudwaras of Hyderabad extended their support to the event. Various Gurudwara committees and individuals gifted household articles to the newly-married couples.
The Minorities Welfare department, too, extended its financial support to the couples.
Prabhandak Committee president Harbans Singh and general secretary S Iqbal Singh said that only Gurmukh and Amritdhari Sikhs were allowed to participate in the weddings. The Prabhandak Committee had also arranged for accommodation and the "Guru Ka Langar". (INN)