A unique community wedding took place in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday in which five transgender women married their male partners as per the Hindu Marriage Act. Organised by NGO 'Nari The Woman', the wedding was held at Balaji Lawns in Kalewadi, and all the functions like engagement, haldi, etc. happened on the same day.
The five couples who got married are: Aman Gupta and Shivanya Shinde, Gaurav Londhe and Adnan Maniyar, Madhuri Vairage and Santosh Chavan, Rohini Tayade and Dheeraj Sonawane and Akash Kasbe and Umesh Khan. Most of these couples were in a relationship for a long time but were unable to get officially married due to various obstacles.
Speaking to the media, Shivanya expressed her happiness after the wedding. She said, "I was born a boy but I always wanted to live as a woman. Through this wedding ceremony, I have gained the right to live my life as a woman. My dream has come true."
Rohini said she was in a relationship for five years with her partner Dheeraj. "Now, I feel I have fully settled in my life. I never expected that such a ceremony could be organised for the wedding of trans community members," she added.
Santosh, who owns a paan shop, said his family has accepted his relationship with Madhuri. "I hope that society also accepts us now," he added. "It was a dream-come-true moment for the both of us. We have been in a relationship for the last 10 years, but today we are officially a married couple," he further said.
Many social activists and politicians graced the community wedding. Speaking on the occasion, Chinchwad MLA Shankar Jagtap said, "This wedding ceremony will be a part of Pimpri-Chinchwad's history. The city has set a new standard for the entire nation."
