Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 21: Al-Khazana community hall near Talapady, B C Road here, witnessed a function on Wednesday May 20, in which eight couples entered wedded life on a single forum. This was made possible by the initiatives undertaken by a villager, who is hell-bent on eliminating the notion of dowry from marriages.

Nagri Gopal and Rohini from Thumbe, Mohandas, brother of Rohini, and Srilaxmi from Uppinangady, Srilaxmi's brother, Dejappa and Amita from Narikombu, Amita's brother Ashok and Pushpavati from Sajipamooda village, Pushpavati's brother, Poovappa and Shobha from Navoor, Shobha's brother Madhava and Mohini from Bondala, Mohini's elder brother, Janardana and Mohini from Mannihalla, and Mohini's brother Prabhakar and Nagri Gopal's sister, Rajeevi, became man and wife at the function.

Kamalaksha from Mogarnadu Pallattila in Narikombu is the brain behind this initiative. Since the last six years, he has been holding discussions with the prospective brides and grooms, and striking relationship between related families without any dowry. He had conducted marriages of nine couples once, and seven on another occasion. He worked for ten months to make this group marriages possible, and the entire expenses of the function including rent of marriage hall, decoration, food etc were met by Kamalaksha.