In a heartwarming incident that testifies that age is just a number, a couple from Rajasthan tied the knot after living together for nearly seven decades. Rama Bhai Kharari, 95, and Jeewali Devi, 90, residents of Galandar, a tribal village in Dungarpur district, have got married in a traditional wedding ceremony.
The couple had been together under the tribal Nata tradition and together have eight children and several grandchildren.
“They showed interest in getting married, and the entire family decided to go ahead with it. The village elders were also consulted, and the haldi ceremony took place on June 1. The wedding ceremony was conducted on June 4 with the entire village coming to celebrate it,” said their son Kanti Lal Kharari, speaking to NDTV.
“They are happy and we are also happy,” he added.
The report further said the wedding celebration followed the local tradition, starting with a bandoli, pre-wedding ceremonies featuring DJ music, dancing villagers, and the couple’s children on mehendi, haldi, and sangeet days. The main ceremony included the traditional saat phere around the fire, followed by a grand communal feast attended by villagers and family.
“The entire village was present in bandoli. With music and festivities, we got the ritual completed,” Lal said.
The couple lived together under the Nata custom, a unique practice in Rajasthan’s tribal communities that allows men and women to cohabit without formal marriage. The report added that children from such relationships are legally recognised and entitled to inheritance.
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However, this arrangement can lead to several social limitations for women, who are sometimes restricted from being a part of important ceremonies like their children’s weddings or pre-wedding rituals such as haldi and welcoming the groom.
In March, a video of an elderly couple from Gujarat remarrying won hearts on social media. The couple, who eloped, had a grand wedding 64 years after their marriage, all planned by their children and grandchildren.
