As a mark of celebration of long conjugal life, as many as 50 couples aged 60 or above exchanged garlands again at an event held in Jharsuguda.
The event was organised by the Jharsuguda unit of Srivari Sevadal, an organisation based in South India.
As per reports, the children of the couples made ‘Kanyadaan’ and offered their mothers to their fathers. The couples were decorated like actual brides and grooms. While the air was reverberating with the chants of Vedic mantras, yajnyas were also performed. The marriages were solemnised as per the scriptures.
“In our south-Indian custom, couples over 60 years of age undergo a remarriage. We, the members of the Seva Dal contributed among ourselves and organised this event,” said B Gopi Muduliar, the president of Srivari Sevadal.
Asked about the marriage, a groom said, “This is a tradition in south India. Couples over 60 years of age have the opportunity to marry their wives again. I participated in that. In fact, many couples participated in that and got married again.”
Notably, this kind of re-marriage is called Shashtiapthapoorthi in South India. It is celebrated on the completion of 60 years of age. This term is derived from Sanskrit in which Shashti implies sixty; abda– year; poorthi-culmination. It is also familiarly called Aruvatham kalyanam amongst South Indians.
Children celebrate this day in a very grandeur manner as they consider this day as the day to fulfill their parts. They also see this day as another real wedding day for their parents and do all the rituals and events elaborately as it takes place in a conventional wedding. It’s also the time for the kids to fulfill their wishes of seeing their parents getting married.