We have often heard of elaborate ‘swayamvars’ that were the tradition centuries ago. Imagine being faced with the prospect of several worthy men, any one of whom you are free to garland and wed. Nowadays, it is just one bride who has to garland her only groom. But one bride in UP’s Siron village had quite an unusual experience on her big day.
One day, two grooms arrived at her house with a marriage procession, reports News18. One of the grooms arrived earlier, and the girl was wed to him. Nevertheless, in a bizarre incident, she garlanded the second groom when he arrived at her house in Etah district!
This obviously upset the first groom and his baraatis for they protested and cops had to intervene. However, there was no physical fight between the two grooms. The bride then had her bidai and went to the home of the second groom duly after their wedding.
As the case was being investigated, villagers at the scene stated that the bride was a minor and had not attained the prescribed age of marriage for girls. Cops at the scene then questioned the bride’s dad and uncle after taking them into custody. They also arrested family members of the second groom who ended up taking his bride home.
The marriage of a minor is against the law. Whoever, being a male adult over the age of 18, contracts a child marriage is punishable with imprisonment up to 2 years or a fine or both.