Mangalore: Love Triumphs over Barriers as Couple Tie Knot

Prof Narendra Nayak
President, Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations

Mangalore, Dec 21: This is the story of two young people in love, who refused to be bound by restrictions imposed by society, caste system and everything else, and listened only to their love-filled hearts.

Sandesh is a Pambada, a caste of dalits who are untouchables except when they perform in Bhootha Kolas dressed in costumes and carry out the associated rituals! The moment the costume is removed they become untouchables.

Deepti belongs to a caste called Kottaris and is studying for her masters in commerce while working at a mall. The rationalist assocation has performed many intercaste, interreligious marriages but the maximum opposition has been when one of the couples is a dalit! As expected, Deepti's family was very much opposed to this match and three days ago she fled home and started staying as a paying guest.

On Wednesday December 21, it was a tearful shivering young woman who came to meet me, worried about her fate and that of her beloved. That was because her family had arranged a match for her from her own caste, a young man who was a relative of the head of a most feared moral police of the Hindutva right wing. She was scared that his goons were searching for her. In fact, all the documents needed for her marriage were kept at the place where she used to work and she was scared when the former colleagues told her that a close watch was being kept on her locker by the minions of this man.

She had come to us for help with a middle aged lady whom we assumed was her relative - but it was not! She was Sandesh's mother who had come with her, out of love for her would-be daughter-in-law. By that time a number of progressive organisations had been intimated and also some very progressive minded journalists.

While we tried to get her documents from the place where she used to work, some goons from there tried to follow her and then it was a ride straight to the office of the commissioner of police, Seemanth Singh who had instructed his office to give all help to the couple. By the time we reached the office, ony Deepti's brothers were there and they informed the police that they had absolutely no objection to her marrying anyone of her choice.
 
So, in the evening one progressive minded priest Jayaram Bhat performed their marriage in the presence of journalists and progressive minded organisations like DYFI, Samudaya, AIDWA, Insurance employees union and the Dakshina Kannada rationalist association. For the last named, though religious marriages are not their cup of tea,under some circumstances, particularly when registration has to be done immediately this sort of ritual becomes necessary. We are very happy that Jayaram Bhat has been co-operating with us from the past two decades when there has been a need.