Date:10/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/10/stories/2008031050170100.htm

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7,000 couples tie the knot at Kalyanamastu programme

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: About 7,000 couples got married at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)-sponsored ‘Kalyanamastu’, free mass marriages, across the State on Sunday.

This is the third round of the programme which was launched in February last year in an effort to strengthen the Hindu marriage system and at the same time ensure less financial burden on the couples tying the knot. The TTD gifted the couples free mangalasutrams, silver ‘mettelu’ and a pair of clothes.

Governor N.D. Tiwari, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Home Minister K. Jana Reddy and TTD Chairman B. Karunakar Reddy were present when the wedding of 116 couples was performed at the Lalita Kala Thoranam here. Mr. Tiwari and Dr. Reddy presented the mangalasutrams and blessed all of them as they squatted in rows on the decorated pedestal. Dr Reddy apologised to the Governor for reaching the venue of the programme after the latter’s arrival.

The bridegrooms tied the nuptial knot amid chanting of slokas at 9.28 a.m.

Two electrocuted

Film star Rajasekhar and his wife Jeevitha gifted clothes and some other articles to the couples. The event was also conducted at two other places in city.

Elsewhere in the State, the mass marriages were also performed at about 290 centres, each representing an Assembly constituency. In a bizarre incident, two persons were electrocuted when they came in contact with overhead electric wires as they were erecting a cut-out before the commencement of ‘Kalyanamastu’ at Karapa in East Godavari district. One of them was the driver of the local Congress MLA D. Venkateswarlu.

Meanwhile, the relatives of a woman created a scene at a marriage hall in Khammam seeing her husband entering wedlock with another woman. They tried to drag him out after he had tied the knot. He was later removed to the police station for questioning.