Viral desi brides 2021: While we couldn't stop fawning over celebrity brides in 2021, many of whom challenged age-old stereotypes at their weddings, there were numerous desi brides who came from ordinary backgrounds like yours and mine and yet became extraordinary brides due to their actions.
There was the bride who refused to marry a man because he couldn't read without his glasses and then there was one who said she wanted to complete her pheras wearing her pyjamas. Be it for their candidness or their principles and priorities, these brides deserve to be celebrated just like we cheer for our celebrity brides:
The bride who requested her father to construct a girls' hostel from the dowry money
In Rajasthan, a bride asked her father to use the money set aside for her wedding to construct a girls' hostel. Anjali Kanwar, the daughter of Kishore Singh Kanod of Barmer, married Praveen Singh in November this year. On her wedding day, Anjali requested that the money her father had set aside for her wedding should be used to promote girl child education.
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The bride approached Mahant Pratap Puri, the current head of Taratara math, after the wedding ceremonies and expressed her wish in a letter that she read aloud to the wedding guests. The guests applauded the bride for her progressive mindset and using available resources for the greater good. Read more on her here.
The bride who went to give exam before tying the knot
In Gujarat, a woman took her exam on her wedding day, prioritising education, because getting married could wait for a bit. She arrived in her wedding attire at the examination center, ready to write her paper before tying the knot.
What's more, the groom was on the same page as the bride and even accompanied her to exam hall where she wrote her paper for the fifth-semester exam for a Bachelor’s in Social Work. The groom revealed that when both the families first got to know that the exam and the wedding were falling on the same date, they first thought of cancelling the wedding. But later, the bride and her family decided to delay the wedding just a little so that she could give her exam before continuing the rituals. Check out her story here.
The bride who wanted her pheras in night suit
This bride from Chandigarh was so exhausted by the time she had to take pheras that she demanded to do the ritual in her nightsuit. A video of this bride requesting for her nightsuit while waiting for the pheras has gone viral on the Internet last month. The video captivated viewers, who couldn't stop laughing.
The video was shared on Instagram by the bride's sister who recorded Parul Sethi, the bride, waiting for the 'pheras' to begin. Numerous women replied in the comments section saying that the video was very relatable. Brides are expected to power through their big day wearing jewellery and heavy dresses, all with a smile. If only women could trade one outfit for a PJ, life would be so much easier.
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The bride who rode a horse to promote gender equality:
In Rajasthan, a bride in Ranoli village of Sikar District rode a horse while completing a pre-wedding ritual. Usually, it is grooms who ride on a horse to their weddings and it is uncommon for brides to do the same. To challenge this stereotype and promote gender equality, the bride performed the "bandori" ritual like any groom would.
What's more, the bride wore a sherwani and a pagdi to complete the ritual. The parents of the bride encouraged their daughter to ride a horse for her pre-wedding ritual as they wanted to promote the message that parents should not discriminate between their daughters and sons, and provide them equal opportunities.
The bride who refused to get married because the groom couldn’t read
In June, a bride from Kanpur called off her wedding minutes before the couple was due to leave for the 'mandap,' after the groom was unable to read a newspaper without glasses.
Arjun Singh of Jamalipur village arranged for his daughter Archana's marriage to Shivam of the district's Maharajpur area. The bride's family had given the groom a motorcycle and some money in advance before the wedding. It turned out that the groom's family had not informed her family about the boy's poor vision, and the bride objected to being kept in the dark, due to which she decided to call off her wedding.