The Hindu : New Delhi News : Marriage called off over a remark

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 25, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Marriage called off over a remark

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 24. An objection raised by the groom's side to a casual remark passed by the bride's party led to cancellation of a marriage at Shastri Nagar in North Delhi on Wednesday.

According to the police, Purna Singh, a resident of Shastri Nagar, was getting his two daughters, Babita and Kamlesh, married on Wednesday. Accompanied by a handful of "baratis", Lok Mal -- the groom for Babita -- reached Purna's house in the evening. As per rituals, the women from the bride's side were to touch the groom's feet. However, Lok Mal declined to participate in the ritual, saying it was against customs.

Later, when the time for dinner came, the bride's family casually told Lok Mal and his father that a "bhandara" -- stalls set up outside religious places for distribution of free food -- had been arranged for them upstairs. This apparently irritated Lok Mal and his father and led to a minor altercation between the two sides. Finally, the bride's family told Lok Mal and his father that they were not interested in the marriage. The groom's party too decided to call off the marriage and returned whatever had been given to them by the other party. Around the same time, someone alerted the police claiming that a row had erupted over dowry. However, when the police reached the spot they found that the altercation was not over the issue of dowry.

However, the marriage of the other girl, whose groom was from outside the Capital, passed off without any hitch.

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