VADODARA: "I am very happy to finally be a married woman," gushed the 24-year-old bride, radiant in her red bridal finery and glowing, from happiness and perhaps from a little relief too, while flashing her shining mangal sutra and bright sindoor on Wednesday.
1/5:Gujarat woman marries herself
<p>A 24-year-old woman, Kshama Bindu, married herself on Wednesday. </p>TNN
2/5:Vadodara woman marries herself
<p>Kshama Bindu entered into a marital bond in a ceremony that had all the trappings of an ordinary wedding event, including the pheras. </p>
3/5:Woman marries herself in Gujarat
<p>Kshama was to marry on June 11 but she decided to prepone the wedding to avoid any controversy on the D-day after her self-wedding suddenly turned into a cause celebre across the society.</p>
4/5:This woman marries herself in Gujarat's first 'sologamy'
<p>In the 40-minute wedding digitalized rituals organized at her home in Gotri area, Kshama's friends showered flowers while promising to support her all through life. </p>
5/5:Photos: This woman marries herself in Gujarat's first 'sologamy'
<p>The bride, who even had her 'mehendi' and 'haldi' rituals, was, however, on tenterhooks after a few neighbours had objected to the constant flow of visitors to her home.</p>Kshama Bindu finally kept her promise to herself and entered into a marital bond in a ceremony that had all the trappings of an ordinary wedding event, including the pheras. Kshama was to marry on June 11 but she decided to prepone the wedding to avoid any controversy on the D-day after her self-wedding suddenly turned into a cause celebre across the society.
In the 40-minute wedding digitalized rituals organized at her home in Gotri area, Kshama's friends showered flowers while promising to support her all through life. Apart from the two major missing elements - a groom and a priest - the elaborate wedding had another major advantage for the new bride: "Unlike other brides, I won't have to leave my home after the wedding!"
"It had to be a hush-hush affair as only 10 of my friends and colleagues attended the ceremony," said the 24-year-old bi-gender who got officially married and is probably the first woman in India to have done so.
The bride, who even had her 'mehendi' and 'haldi' rituals, was, however, on tenterhooks after a few neighbours had objected to the constant flow of visitors to her home. "I felt that someone may try to create controversy on the day of the wedding and I didn't want to spoil my special day. So, I advanced it to Wednesday," Kshama told TOI.
"I wanted to do this wedding in a temple but unfortunately, I had to change the venue to avoid any trouble," said Kshama, who took pheras and also spoke out the seven vows promising to keep herself happy all her life. "I really admire her for her bold and unique move," Yesha Choksi, Kshama's friend who attended the wedding, told TOI at the event. "Despite a lot of pressure, Kshama married herself and I think she has set an example for more who aren't averse to getting married, but will definitely not want to be another's wife," she added.
As for the post-wedding celebrations, it rocked for the bride who works in a private firm and for her guests who grooved to beats of 'London Thumakda' and later, throwing all caution to the wind, jigged to the quintessential garba. Initially, the bride kept her precautions up, locking the living room door and ensuring that guests didn't come in big groups.
"But it was all worth it now," sighed the married newly wed woman, who was content that she could keep her vow to stay committed to herself.
Earlier, Kshama's assertion of 'self-love' got heavily trolled on social media while many also praised her for the 'bold' move.
