free mass marriage

-- It is said marriages are made in heaven. But the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) launched Kalyanamastu, a free mass
Mass wedding marriage programme, to reduce the financial burden of the poor and make it an earthly affair. Now even the middle class and rich sections have also started evincing interest in it. Why not? It's free and performed in an authentic traditional style.

That was reason enough for police officer Harriett Lowe of Mellor in the UK to get the knot tied by Tadikonda Kranti Chaitanya, a techie, at Lalita Kala Thoranam in the city on Wednesday. "I feel happy to marry as per Indian traditions," said the blushing English bride.

However, 30-year-old Bhaskar thought he could marry for - hold your breath - a third time without anybody noticing in the melee, while a daily wage labourer stood out as a role model when he tied the knot with a speech and hearing impaired girl.

Ameena Bi, 22, and Bandari Laxmaiah, 27, who fell in love became wife and husband amid Vedic chants in Pochampad Ramalayam temple at Manala village of Kammarpalli mandal in Nizamabad district. A handicapped couple from the city Raghavendra and Latha also took the vow to enter the life of togetherness.

Seemingly in a hurry, some minor girls have also entered the wedlock by producing fake age certificates. This drama was part of the fifth phase of Kalyanamastu programme conducted by the TTD in the state on Wednesday. Nearly 8,087 couples entered the wedlock in 19 districts.