The Hindu : Karnataka News : They made it a special occasion

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Saturday, Dec 22, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

They made it a special occasion

Staff Reporter

A matrimonial meet with a difference attracts young hopefuls

Swayamvaraa Trust to bear the cost of wedding ceremony
The only condition is the groom should not demand dowry

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

WHEN WORDS DID NOT MATTER: The prospective brides and grooms at ‘Swayamwara 2007’ organised for speech and hearing impaired people in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore: The place is bustling with activity, people animatedly making all kinds of signs and gestures.

Bharathi is excited but a little nervous.

“I don’t want to marry an agriculturist but someone who is suitably employed in some firm,” she conveys.

The hall was full of hopefuls like Ms. Bharathi, who have come from various parts of the State to find the perfect match for them.

The only difference between this meeting held on Friday, organised by the Swayamwaraa Trust, and regular matrimonial meets is that this one is exclusively for young men and women who are speech and hearing impaired.

“The idea is to help young people with hearing impairment find their life partners, so that they lead a happy married life like others.

“It is a common platform for people of all religions, caste and language but the only condition we put is that nobody should ask for dowry,” said C.N. Vijayraj, trust founder-secretary.

The trust has been organising such meets for the last seven years with some success. “The responsibility for whatever happens after the meet lies with the parents but if they are able to find a match here, we will arrange the wedding ceremony,” he told the participants. “My only concern is that my life partner should be educated with whom I can make good conversation (through sign language),” said Sandeep Kulkarni from Haveri.

Sandeep, who has done a diploma course after his undergraduate studies, is working with Karnataka State Centre for Remote Sensing Applications. His sister, who is doing his engineering (computer science), is a distinction student in college. “Both my children studied in hearing impaired school, but they went to normal colleges where they faced some problems in learning but they managed to overcome them,” said their proud father, Shankar Kulkarni.

Inaugurating the matrimonial meet, Das Suryavanshi, State Commissioner for Disabilities, said 46 per cent of those with disabilities never marry because they do not get a suitable partner.

“There are various schemes for disabled persons formulated by the Government but they should demand for it,” he said.

M.V. Vedamurthy, Director for Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens, said the Government recently launched an employment portal for the benefit of people with disabilities.

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