Tripura NGO organises mass marriage ceremony

Kailasahar (Tripura), Mar 15 (ANI): A Tripura non-government organisation (NGO) named 'Chandrapura Mass-marriage Committee' solemnized the mass marriage of around 67 underprivileged couples, as per their respective religions.
The special ceremony saw young men and women from poor Hindu, Muslim and Christian families getting married as per the traditional rituals.
"Today 67 couples of Hindu, Muslim and Christian community are getting married. This also helps in spreading communal harmony as people from different communities come together during such activities," said Chandrapura Mass-marriage Committee Organizer Krishnandu Chowdhury.
Chowdhury said the main aim behind this event was to help young couples enter wedlock without becoming a victim of the dowry system, adding that the underprivileged families are unable to pay huge sums of money as dowry to the bridegroom at the time of the marriage, which often pushes them under heavy debt and loans.
So, by this mass ceremony the girls get married without bearing the expenses of other social rites, he claimed.
Deepak Ojha, one of the bridegrooms, who found his soul mate at the ceremony, thanked the organizing committee for their help and support.
"I am very happy about this ceremony. This is a very good initiative taken by the state government and the organizers. It was a great help to poor people like us and we thank the organisers," said Ojha.
Traditional band welcomed the families of the bride and the bridegrooms at the village venue where the religious marriage ceremonies were taking place.
There was no exchange of money or expensive gifts during the ceremony.
The organizers later gifted household items to the newly married couples.
"The main aim behind this mass marriage is to create awareness against dowry system and people from different community and religion are participating here," said Pradip Kumar, who witnessed the mass marriage.

"We want to bring harmony and unity among the Indian people or different religion and community like tribal and Bengalis. This will help in overall development of our state," added Kumar.
A feast was also organised for the couples by the organizers.
Mass marriages are becoming popular these days, especially among the economically weaker sections of the society, as these help in reducing the worries of financial implications among the parents or guardians of the brides.