MUMBAI: Sets of closely embroidered shararas, golden sneakers, handbags and accessories are being assembled for a lavish mass marriage that can take place at Koli Jamat Ground in Versova on Valentine's Day February 14.
The contributors are 30-40 low source of revenue couples hailing from various portions of Mumbai, certainly Maharashtra. Most of them are Muslims even if other communities are welcome to join.
Andheri corporator Meher Haider and her husband Congressman Mohsin Haider fund this annual ceremony, including the reception, via their Khidmat Organisation of Andheri.
Mohsin Haider has assembled an army of volunteers with delegated duties to perform. "We make sure it is just like, or better than, a lavish household wedding. In fact in 2012 we held the function at Tulip Star hotel in Juhu. It was by the poolside, a five star mass wedding like none before," he says.
Khidmat now not best organises a lavish ceremonial dinner but in addition items gifts value Rs 1.25 lakh to each couple. Approximately 15,000 guests are anticipated. "The reception dinner menu includes over 20 items comprising four starters, biryani, raan, naan, roti, sweets, ice cream, popcorn, candy and gola sherbet," says probably the most women volunteers. "People come from far and wide just to see the wedding."
Presents come with the bridal sharara costing Rs 15,000, trousseau of 5 outfits, jewelry and accessories, mattress, an array of kitchen utensils, mixer grinder, ceiling fan, mattresses and bedsheets. "We do not sponsor the groom's outfit though, for he can usually afford it. The aim is to help daughters of poor families settle down," says Meher.
Each couple gets to ask a fair number of guests, marriage ceremony cards are published and disbursed to the couple smartly prematurely.
Not just that, the Haider couple also examine the background of each groom via sending volunteers to every home. "We make sure the boy is of sound character and has a steady income. There was an instance we travelled to Bihar and found that the prospective groom, a 34-year-old who had migrated to Mumbai, was already married with children. Of course the 18-year-old bride here was shocked that he had misled her," Mohsin Haider says.
"This year the poorest family, whose two daughters Shabnam and Ayesha Shaikh will be married, lives in Reay Road. The women do beadwork and earn Rs 90 per day," Meher says. "They can barely afford two meals a day let alone a full wedding with guests."
Another engaged pair is salon worker Monica Purabiya and Jitesh Solanki. "Ours is a love marriage. My family is of modest means so the wedding would have been delayed if I did not opt for mass marriage. Plus we could never afford to organise a function of this scale. My mother is still paying off the debts incurred during my brother's wedding," Monica says.
"The organisers have a genuine heart. Meherji even asked me if I wanted a sharara like the rest of the Muslim brides, or something more suited to my Gujarati background. I chose a simple design of ghaghra choli. But I was overwhelmed to see the finished outfit when they called me for a fitting! It was so glamorous and beautiful, my eyes were filled with tears," laughs Monica.
Another bride Afreen Shaikh's father Akhtar is a plumber. "I had attended the previous mass wedding in 2018. I was impressed by the grandeur, but more so, by the dignity accorded to participants and their guests. They do not make it out to be a favour or charity," he says. "I decided to perform my daughter's reception here."
An equivalent dignity vests in the recipient. Akhtar has a more youthful daughter, however he is determined not to make the most of this mass marriage facility if his lot improves by the time her flip arrives. "God willing, I will find the money for to marry her off at my very own expense.
The contributors are 30-40 low source of revenue couples hailing from various portions of Mumbai, certainly Maharashtra. Most of them are Muslims even if other communities are welcome to join.
Andheri corporator Meher Haider and her husband Congressman Mohsin Haider fund this annual ceremony, including the reception, via their Khidmat Organisation of Andheri.
Mohsin Haider has assembled an army of volunteers with delegated duties to perform. "We make sure it is just like, or better than, a lavish household wedding. In fact in 2012 we held the function at Tulip Star hotel in Juhu. It was by the poolside, a five star mass wedding like none before," he says.
Khidmat now not best organises a lavish ceremonial dinner but in addition items gifts value Rs 1.25 lakh to each couple. Approximately 15,000 guests are anticipated. "The reception dinner menu includes over 20 items comprising four starters, biryani, raan, naan, roti, sweets, ice cream, popcorn, candy and gola sherbet," says probably the most women volunteers. "People come from far and wide just to see the wedding."
Presents come with the bridal sharara costing Rs 15,000, trousseau of 5 outfits, jewelry and accessories, mattress, an array of kitchen utensils, mixer grinder, ceiling fan, mattresses and bedsheets. "We do not sponsor the groom's outfit though, for he can usually afford it. The aim is to help daughters of poor families settle down," says Meher.
Each couple gets to ask a fair number of guests, marriage ceremony cards are published and disbursed to the couple smartly prematurely.
Not just that, the Haider couple also examine the background of each groom via sending volunteers to every home. "We make sure the boy is of sound character and has a steady income. There was an instance we travelled to Bihar and found that the prospective groom, a 34-year-old who had migrated to Mumbai, was already married with children. Of course the 18-year-old bride here was shocked that he had misled her," Mohsin Haider says.
"This year the poorest family, whose two daughters Shabnam and Ayesha Shaikh will be married, lives in Reay Road. The women do beadwork and earn Rs 90 per day," Meher says. "They can barely afford two meals a day let alone a full wedding with guests."
Another engaged pair is salon worker Monica Purabiya and Jitesh Solanki. "Ours is a love marriage. My family is of modest means so the wedding would have been delayed if I did not opt for mass marriage. Plus we could never afford to organise a function of this scale. My mother is still paying off the debts incurred during my brother's wedding," Monica says.
"The organisers have a genuine heart. Meherji even asked me if I wanted a sharara like the rest of the Muslim brides, or something more suited to my Gujarati background. I chose a simple design of ghaghra choli. But I was overwhelmed to see the finished outfit when they called me for a fitting! It was so glamorous and beautiful, my eyes were filled with tears," laughs Monica.
Another bride Afreen Shaikh's father Akhtar is a plumber. "I had attended the previous mass wedding in 2018. I was impressed by the grandeur, but more so, by the dignity accorded to participants and their guests. They do not make it out to be a favour or charity," he says. "I decided to perform my daughter's reception here."
An equivalent dignity vests in the recipient. Akhtar has a more youthful daughter, however he is determined not to make the most of this mass marriage facility if his lot improves by the time her flip arrives. "God willing, I will find the money for to marry her off at my very own expense.
Meals, gifts for couple at V-Day mass wedding
![Meals, gifts for couple at V-Day mass wedding]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
February 09, 2019
Rating:
