Viral: Russian And Ukrainian Couple Get Married In Dharamshala

In the Russia-Ukraine war, many have lost their lives. An affectionate Russian and Ukrainian pair made the decision to get married and travelled to India in such a situation, away from the climate there. Both were united in the sacred union of marriage in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.

Sergei Novikov, an Israeli citizen of Russian descent and his Ukrainian girlfriend Elona Bramoka who have been dating for quite a long time, tied the knot in the mountains of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday.

Russian Ukrainian Marriage

The couple had been staying for a long time in an ashram in Dharamkot, McLeodganj in the Dharamshala district before getting married.  The couple had a Himachali wedding ceremony that was held in the Radha Krishna temple of Khanyara-khadota village following Hindu marital rituals and Indian customs.

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Pandit Sandeep Sharma of Khanyara's Divya ashram told the Times of India, "Sergei and Elona are staying at Dharamkot near Dharamshala for the past one year with a family, which made all the arrangements for their wedding. Pandit Raman Sharma from our ashram recited Sanskrit hymns and solemnised their marriage, and told them about its sacred sanctity under the Sanatan Dharam traditions."

Credits: The Times of India

The host of the ceremony Vinod Sharma and his family performed various marriage rituals for the couple such as "kanyadan". The locals became the "baraati" for their wedding and danced to the beat of folk songs. Sergei who is of Russian origin, took Israeli citizenship before getting married.   

Pandit Raman Sharma said, "It was nice to see a foreign couple interested in Indian wedding traditions. They were curious about the wedding mantras." The pandit also translated these mantras for the couple to get an essence.

The multi-traditional Kangari Dham gave their blessings to the couple and gave a happy ending to the "desi-style videshi wedding" at Divya Ashram.