131 couples tie the knot at mass marriage event in Dharmasthala

DHARMASTHALA: The auspicious godhuli lagna of 6.40pm saw 131 couples take the marital plunge at the 47th free mass marriage organised at

Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala

on Sunday.

The day saw a festive fervor grip the Kshetra as the couples who were scheduled to tie the knot later in the day were distributed marriage-related items by D Veerendra Heggade, the 'dharmadhikari'.

While the brides received sarees, the grooms received a dhoti, shawl and shirt. The brides and grooms took out a grand procession, circled the temple before heading for the nearby Amruthavarshini hall, where actor Kichcha Sudeep and the Heggade couple – Veerendra and Hemavathi handed over mangalsutra to the couples to solemnise their marriage.

The couples took an oath that they would care for each other for the rest of their lives – in happiness and in sorrow and in times good and bad. They also vowed that they will not fall prey to any vices that could affect their married life – a vow that they not only took before the presiding deity – Lord Manjunatha, but also before Veerendra Heggade.

Noting that the mass marriage is turning out to be a platform to promote social equity, Heggade said fact that 23 off the 131 couples who entered in to wedlock had chosen life partners outside their caste was proof for the same. With late marriages more the norm than the rule these days for various reasons, Heggade advised the couples to lead their lives justly.