Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At a time when the nation is busy talking about the high profile destination wedding of popular Bollywood actress Katarina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal, an environment friendly wedding of a police officer in Madhya Pradesh has attracted a lot of attention.
While the Bollywood couple chose pink city-Jaipur- to tie the knot, the DSP rank police officer Santosh Kumar Patel went back to his roots in Devgaon village in Panna district and decided to solemnize his marriage adopting all traditional means and utilise conventional resources available in the village reminding everybody of the good old eco-friendly days.
Patel, who qualified Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC)-2018, is posted as sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) Prithvipur in Niwari district. His marriage was arranged with a girl from Garhawan village in Chhatarpur district by his parents.
Instead of booking a marriage hall in Niwari or in Ajaigarh in Panna, Patel decided to conduct all rituals in his native village.
“When I was selected in state police services my entire village celebrated. Like any other typical village all people in the village know each other. Had I planned my marriage in Niwari, people from my village would have been disheartened,” said Patel.
“I followed all the traditions that I have seen or I remember. The food was prepared with the vegetables grown in the village, they were even served in traditional manner in ‘pangat’ style (sitting on floor in a row and eating). Small huts were made with hay, mud, dung and bamboo for this purpose.
The groom’s sehra (crown) was also made with bamboo leaves and sticks-an age-old tradition that has become extinct now. Even the dresses of the groom and bride were simple and designed in the old style.
Doli (palanquin)- that has become obsolete nowadays was used to bring the bride.
The DSP rank police officer owns a four wheeler but decided to take her bride for pooja at a nearby temple on bicycle. “It is the temple of our kul devta. Remembering the old days I decided to go there on my bicycle- the way I used to do during my student days,” said the police officer.
“By organizing my marriage in this manner I wanted to give a message that too much of money should not be wasted on rituals that could be easily done for free or on meager expenses. Second- our traditions are all eco-friendly. They should be revived,” added Patel.
