By IANS
Bhadrak (Orissa) : A simian couple is busy honeymooning in a temple in Orissa after their lavish wedding hosted by local villagers Feb 20.
Manu and Jhumuri, both three years old, have been spotted spending their honeymoon at a temple in Kuliadia in Bhadrak district, 150 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar where their “wedding” took place.
The bride and the groom tied the knot in traditional style after seeking blessings from the almighty.
“The groom came in a procession, like any other wedding, to the village temple while the women dressed up the bride.
“Decked up with flowers, sandalwood paste smeared on her forehead and draped in a scarlet sari, the female simian married her male counterpart at the local Mahimamani Jagannath temple,” said Dilip Kumar Parida, a local social activist.
Perhaps in the first-ever simian wedding in this eastern state of India, over two thousand guests and onlookers who attended the unusual wedding were treated to lunch.
They blessed the newly-weds and plied them with gifts, including a gold Mangalsutra, donated to Jhumuri by local businessman Bhagaban Sahu.
“The wedding was a typically Hindu wedding. As I never had performed such rituals for the wedding of an animal, it was a unique experience for me.
“Along with local residents, I also enjoyed while chanting ‘Jatha Ravanashya tatha Mandodari’ (a sloka chanted during Hindu marriages) for the monkeys,” Daitari Dash, the priest, told IANS.
Pitambar Gochhayat of Kuliadia village and Birendra Khatua of Keshpur in the same district arranged the marriage and spent nearly Rs.200,000 for the purpose.
“We had purchased all items required for a Hindu marriage. We bought dresses for the two simians, bangles and vermilion for the female one,” said Mamina, wife of Birendra who looked after Jhumuri.
It all started when the caretakers of two monkeys decided to marry them off and release them from captivity.
“I picked one-month-old Manu from a mango orchard. My wife advised me to keep the monkey in our house and treated him as our son. When he came of age, we started scouting for a bride,” Pitambar said.
Jhumuri’s caretaker Birendra added: “I picked her from the roadside as a kid. A few days ago, I came to know that Pitambar had a male monkey and was looking for a bride. We decided to marry them off and started making arrangements.”
The members of the local Netaji club and Mahimananda Youth club helped prepare for the wedding that was followed by a grand feast.
The menu could match any marriage: Murighanta (daal with fish head), fish curry, daal, vegetable fry, chutney and rasagolla (sweets).
Animal lovers liked the fact that the monkeys were freed after the marriage. And no dowry was given.