By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : A marriage of two monkeys that had brought luck to their caretakers was solemnised and attended by at least 10,000 people in a temple in an Orissa village, a media report said Wednesday.
The rituals were performed Tuesday in a temple at Maitapur village in the coastal district of Balasore, about 200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. Many women, children and local people attended the wedding, Oriya daily Suryaprabha reported.
“The groom Ramu, a three-year-old monkey, was brought in a procession to the marriage venue where it married Champabati, a two-year-old female monkey, as the priests chanted hymns,” it said.
Ramu’s caretaker Brundabana Parida said he found the monkey abandoned in the forest a year ago and brought the animal home. He raised the animal like his son and it brought him luck.
“It was my duty to find a mate for the pet. I am happy that I got one,” said Parida.
“On the day of the wedding Ramu travelled to the temple in a decorated wagon accompanied by a procession amidst dancing, sound of music and cracker,” eyewitness Kanhu Charan Singh told IANS.
The animal was sitting on the lap of his caretaker atop a flower decorated wagon wearing a turban and white kurta-pyjama. Villagers blew conches and women welcomed the groom by ululating, he said.
He said over 10,000 people attended the wedding party hosted by the caretakers of the couple.