The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Helping the hearing impaired find their life partners

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Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Helping the hearing impaired find their life partners

Staff Reporter

Two-day matrimonial event ‘Swayamwaraa 2008’ takes off in Indiranagar

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Interaction: A participant introducing himself at ‘Swayamwaraa 2008’ in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: For a stranger, the event looked like any other matrimonial meet. A close look revealed that the participants were special — they were all hearing impaired who wanted to lead a normal and happy life.

“Swayamwaraa 2008” began on Tuesday at N.D.K. Kalyan Mantappa in Indiranagar with people from different communities, religions and castes coming together with one common hope. Over the next two days, the people participating in the event will meet and begin the process of introduction. The selected couples will be given the choice of getting married on Thursday through the organisation, on December 26 through government registration, or in their own time.

On December 25 between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., the wedding rituals will be held and at 10 a.m. the receptions will begin. The couples who want to get married through the trust will be provided food, gold mangalsutra, clothes and a few household vessels.

C.N. Vijayraj, founder, Swayamwaraa, said most of the marriages made here are very successful. “In case a marriage takes a rocky route, our organisation also offers counselling,” he said.

Couples who want to have children but fear that they may inherit the disability are also offered counselling. The organisation has performed about 1,300 marriages. It also offers employment and close to 1,500 people with hearing difficulties have been employed after receiving training. The event was inaugurated by Kenchappa, president,Vokkaligara Sangha.

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