Bride walks 80km to get married

Faiz.Siddiqui@timesgroup.com

Kanpur:  23.05.2020

The novel coronavirus may have postponed thousands of weddings across the country, but it has failed to deter a19-year-old girl to walk 80km to reach the groom’s place to exchange vows.

The girl, Goldy, from Mangalpur in Kanpur Dehat, decided to defy her parents when they put off her marriage with Virendra Kumar Rathore, 23, from Baisapur village in Kannauj for a second time after the extension of lockdown. Her sudden appearance took Rathore’s family by surprise, but they welcomed her and the wedding was solemnised with the consent of both sides, maintaining social distancing.Villagers, too, came out in support of the bride.

“Our marriage was fixed for May 4, which got postponed due to the lockdown. We were expecting relief after Lockdown 3.0. But unfortunately, it was extended till the end of the month. When our parents decided to defer our marriage again, I left my house without informing anyone,” Goldy told TOI.

She started before dawn on Wednesday and reached her groom’s house late in the evening. “After covering a distance of 80km, I reached Virendra’s house and got married on Thursday with the consent of our family members,” she said. With a bag containing clothes and belongings, Goldy walked for 12 hours with no food. “I survived only on water,” she added.

Wearing face masks, they exchanged vows on Thursday