Sullia: Cecilia, a research student from Sweden, had served as a guest teacher in spoken English in the Sneha School here for four months in 2012. She took interest in Indian way of life and traditions and had carried precious memories of her stay with her. Her family members too had visited this education town some time ago.
Much water since flowed down rivers Payaswini and Mandovi. While in Goa two years ago, she met Garry, a real estate entrepreneur from England, and they gradually fell in love.
Since both of them wanted an Indian-style marriage, Cecilia recently approached the Sneha school management here, led by Dr Chandrashekhar and Jayalakshmi Damle couple. They readily agreed to host the bonding of the couple’s ‘sneha’ for life.
The open-air auditorium of the school in green surroundings near Parivarakana was the venue of this unique wedding on Sunday, Jan 11. The absence of the groom and bride’s family members was more than made up by well-known citizens. The ‘kanyadaan’ was officiated by the Damle couple themselves standing in for Cecilia’s parents. Dr Vidyashambhava Pare took the place of Garry’s maternal uncle.
Madhusudan and Lata Kumbhagodu couple of the Kasturi group represented Gary’s parents, while Girish Bharadhwaj, the award-winning champion of hanging bridges, played the ‘maternal uncle’.
At the auspicious muhurtam at 11-14 am, the couple tied the knot and walked the Saptapadi around the fire. Dr Pare explained the import and gist of the vedic mantras and rituals in English to the bride and groom at every stage.
In the evening, Madhusudan and Lata couple hosted a dinner for the newlyweds. Hundreds of students and alumni of the school, Rotarians, local leaders like Naveen Kumar Menala, cooperative sector leader P B Divakar Rai, Shrikar Damle and others blessed the couple.
Speaking to the mediapersons, the couple said they were immensely enamoured of the Indian customs and culture and were privileged to get married here.
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Mangaluru: Kudroli Temple Bears Witness to Intercontinental Wedding!
