Srinagar, Jan 23: As many as twenty couples on Monday tied the knot in a simple mass marriage function held at BabdambKhanyar in Srinagar.
The couples from various districts of the Valley tied their knots in a marriage organised by a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), The Helping Hand's foundation.
The mass marriage ceremony was held following the COVID-19 protocol and other health guidelines sternly. The marriage was witnessed by dozens of people.
Helping hands NGO has previously held such functions, but this year’s event, with 20 couples, was the biggest so far, organisers said.
The procedure for couples to have their marriage organised is simple, Umer President Helping Hands said.
Our aim in organising such a marriage is only to promote simple Nikkah as dowry and other evil rituals have become a headache for underprivileged people.
Another member of an NGO said that thousands of girls have crossed the marriage age and their parents are unable to afford the expensive marriages. Resulting in a huge number of girls as well as boys having crossed their marriage ages.
"The couples register themselves with the organization, and after verifying their credentials and other details, the council starts arrangements for their marriage."
The organisers wanted rich people to think before spending opulently on their marriages. Those who spend lakhs on the weddings of their children should first see whether their neighbours have been able to marry their wards.
"We are fast turning into a hedonistic society where we hardly bother to look for our poor neighbours or relatives," they said.
These kinds of marriages should be encouraged. Every day, we hear stories about parents who are unable to marry their children because they cannot afford a dowry or expensive weddings. Above all, we are Muslims, and Islam encourages uncomplicated marriages, "a bride said.
To a query, the President of the NGO, Helping Hands Foundation, said, "It is people who are donating all the things for these couples." We are just taking our progress and finalising things.
We are providing everything for the bride, excluding the jewellery.
Since we started the NGO, more than 300 couples have tied their knots with the help of this NGO.
On being asked how people are approaching this NGO, he said people are finding brides for themselves on their own. We are helping them by providing assistance and other things for their marriages.
Those who are approaching us after finalising their partner's Our team is verifying their credentials properly and, after proper verification, this NGO is helping them.