Odisha Bride And Groom Hold Constitution-Themed Wedding, Host Blood Donation Drive

By Samir Kumar Acharya

Berhampur: Austerity was the buzzword at a Friday wedding here. At a time when people splurge in lavishness with haute couture ensembles to destination weddings, bride Pritipanna and groom Bhanu Teja took the wedding oath to be partners with solemnity keeping the Constitution as their witness. Neither was there any priest to chant mantras nor were any rituals followed. A blood donation camp at the venue was the only must, and it continued throughout the day.

The marriage at the Shaheed Laxman Nayak Community Hall in Berhampur garnered admiration and appreciation for setting an example. The couple decided to go for the simple wedding after the bride Pritipanna's mother Bidhuprabha Rath expressed her desire to do something worthwhile for the society as her daughter starts her new life. "It had to be an ideal wedding as I did not want to go for long and layered traditions and rituals. Besides, what do we achieve out of extravagance if it does not make any difference to anyone in the society. So I chose to organise a blood donation camp also to mark the important day," explained Bidhuprabha, who retired as a CDPO.

Bride and groom after the 'Ideal wedding' (ETV Bharat)

Friends and family members who attended expressed happiness at witnessing a non-traditional yet deeply meaningful ceremony.

The bride and groom read their vows aloud in front of all present, after which the blood donation camp saw participation from the couple, their families, and even guests. The wedding feast that followed was also joined by donors who blessed the newly-weds.

Blood donation camp organised as a ritual at the wedding (ETV Bharat)

Pritipanna said that the idea was not new to her family. “My brother also got married this way with the Constitution as a witness. I followed the same path. We are taking this forward because we believe in austerity. Everyone should accept this in society. The less consumerism we promote, the better. That is how change will come,” she said. So far, Berhampur has seen five Constitution-witnessed weddings.

Groom Bhanu Teja said he was proud to be part of such a socially-conscious ceremony. "I would call for shedding old customs and embracing reforms that promote equality and progressive thought," he added.

Berhampur Couple Marries With Constitution As Witness, Skips Rituals And Dowry (ETV Bharat)

Bidhuprabha said we wanted to encourage humanistic values and reduce societal prejudices. “Such weddings can help counter the chaos created in society in the name of dowry and reduce unnecessary expenses. We wanted something harmonious and equal,” she said. She added that her daughter, who has completed MSc Biotechnology and is working as a technical analyst in Hyderabad, and son-in-law, an engineer in Bengaluru, agreed wholeheartedly to the simple way of celebrating the occasion.

Senior citizen Bhalchandra Sadangi, who attended the wedding, said such marriages reflect a slow but meaningful shift. “People of different religions follow different traditions which are evolving with changing times. But this wedding shows that marriage is truly about uniting hearts without spending lakhs," he added.

The wedding was attended by academicians, intellectuals, social workers, political leaders, and friends and family of both sides who hailed the marriage a strong social message against casteism, dowry, and extravagance.

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