A profoundly uplifting scene unfolded at the Seva Mahatirth in Badi, Udaipur, where 50 couples exchanged marital vows and began a brand-new chapter of life together. The 47th mass wedding ceremony for differently-abled and underprivileged individuals, held across September 19 and 20, brought together 100 brides and grooms arriving from diverse regions across the country. Overcoming profound personal adversity and physical limitations, these couples performed the sacred circumambulations around the holy fire amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns and traditional wedding folk songs. For individuals who learned to walk using crutches or artificial limbs, stepping onto the wedding stage marked the realization of a cherished dream of establishing their own households.
From Medical Recovery to Lifelong Companionship
A defining aspect of this mass wedding was that many of the brides and grooms had previously received medical treatment, major corrective surgeries, artificial prosthetics, assistive aids, or vocational skill training at the very same campus of Narayan Seva Sansthan. Individuals who once arrived at the facility seeking rehabilitation and physical recovery walked out carrying the hands of their life partners. While several had painstakingly rebuilt their lives following debilitating accidents, others had persevered from birth with disabilities while continuously striving for financial self-reliance. On the wedding pavilion, their identity was defined not by their physical conditions, but as proud brides and grooms entering holy matrimony.
Household Sets and Assistive Equipment Provided
To ensure that the newly married couples face no immediate hardship in setting up their daily lives, the organizers presented them with complete sets of essential domestic goods. The gifted articles included beds, mattresses, bedding sets, cupboards, gas stoves with cylinders, kitchen utensils, pressure cookers, griddles, frying pans, ceiling fans, sewing machines, and trolley bags for everyday convenience. Furthermore, couples requiring specialized mobility aids were equipped with wheelchairs and other customized supportive apparatus, ensuring their continued independence and dignity in running their new homes.
A Legacy of 2,582 Marriages Over 22 Years
Addressing the gathering, Sansthan President Prashant Agarwal said that persons with disabilities do not need sympathy, but rather dignity and equal opportunity. Highlighting the long-term scope of this social initiative, he shared that 2,582 differently-abled men and women have been married through the organization over the past 22 years. He also noted that this edition featured inspiring unions where an able-bodied person chose a differently-abled partner, or vice versa, sending out a powerful social message of unconditional acceptance and equality.
Blessings from Dignitaries and Community Members
The two-day gathering was marked by devotional music, cultural programs, and traditional Vedic marriage rites. Spiritual leaders, social activists, public representatives, and guests from across India and abroad gathered to offer blessings to the newly married pairs, with numerous attendees voluntarily stepping forward to participate in the sacred Kanyadaan ritual. During the proceedings, Sushila Parihar, hailing from a freedom fighter family in Jodhpur, was formally felicitated in recognition of her dedicated spirit of public service. Founder Kailash Manav blessed the couples, alongside Yash Mehta, Palak Agarwal, Director Vandana Agarwal, and Co-founder Kamla Devi Agarwal.
