KARACHI: Recently, 122 Hindu couples from Pakistan’s impoverished social strata exchanged vows in a large-scale marriage ceremony.
In defiance of Karachi’s poverty, the joint wedding on January 7 was a wild celebration as the country struggles to emerge from a financial crisis.
“My parents are not wealthy, which is why I am getting married here. Wearing traditional red dress, 25-year-old bride Kalpana Devi told AFP that they could not afford the wedding expenses.
Even though she had to share her special day with dozens of other women and endure financial hardships, she remained upbeat.
“I wish that everyone could get married here,” she replied.
In Pakistan, weddings are expensive events that frequently require the bride’s male relatives to contribute financially.
I’m in a decent place financially, so this is a terrific opportunity for me. The bride’s brother, 25-year-old Sateesh Parmar, adds, “I was not able to raise funds for the wedding.”
Eight million Hindus make up Pakistan’s 240 million population, according to the Pakistan Hindu Council, which organized the event. This information was derived from the country’s 2017 census.
