In times of big fat, showcase weddings, sometimes also at the cost of financial burdens of the families, a non-decrepit Varkhede village in Jalgaon District of Maharashtra, has set an example of a wedding that makes a difference. In a very unusual marriage that took place on 11 February’17, Tanmay Bhole, an Art of Living teacher, the son of Jayant Bhole, got married to his lovely bride Poonam.
What Was Special About The Wedding?
It wasn’t special. It was very special because the celebrations were without unnecessary expenditure on a music band, DJ, firecrackers, gifts, dowry among other extravaganzas. Instead, the family decided to donate the money for meeting an urgent need of the village. In fact, their wedding resonates so closely to the How Not To Get Married thought we shared previously.
“With a lot of encouragement and despite some opposition, but for LOVE only, to bring about a transformation and a positive wave in society along with my son, we are taking this step,” Jayant Bhole wrote on his Facebook wall, “We need your blessing and good wishes.”
The family handed over a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh 70 thousand to the village sarpanch. The locals happily blessed the couple and the families. The money from the wedding would be used to put an R.O. plant for providing filtered water in the village.
A local woman shared that the village had the problem of impure muddy drinking water. In the last few years, people in the villages of Maharashtra have seen the worst and the most tragic water crises in India. Children and women have walked for several kilometers together to fetch two buckets of water day and night. They have run behind water tanks, to get their little share of the resource. Some children lost their lives to fatigue. News channels have been full of these images and news stories. But Maharashtra is also the story of people like Bhole, who are changing the course of social action, by such acts of generosity that display compassion, and a sense of service.
Jayant Bhole, who is an active teacher and volunteer with The Art of Living, says, this decision was inspired by his Guru- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Earlier, we have also seen how Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inspired a hardcore ULFA militant from Assam to live with dignity, pride, and love in the society.
Bhole has been working tirelessly all across Maharashtra to promote organic farming and to teach community leadership program called Youth Leadership Training Program, through which the organization strives to provide Health, Hygiene, Homes, Harmony in Diversity and Human values.
Wishing Tanmay and Poonam a blissful life ahead!