Security at Varanasi temples pushes marriages to streets

Varanasi, Aug 3 (UNI) Uncompromising security at prominent temples here has allegedly led to the soleminisation of a dowry-free marriage on the roadside.

Two youngsters Rajan and Monica, hailing from Mirzapur and Sewapuri (Varanasi) were forced to enter into a dowry-free conjugal relationship on the street of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) yesterday, following refusal by the security personnel to let the marriage take place inside the Vishwanath Temple on the varsity campus.

''We wanted to make our marriage a socially relevant event by keeping it dowry free, but our efforts to solemenise the bond in a temple of the religious city have been disallowed by security personnel,'' said a dejected Rajan.

The two families first went to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple, then the Durga temple, Sankatmochan temple and finally the Kashi Vishwanath temple, but could not secure permission for the marriage in any of the famous temples, under intense security cover following the March Seven twin blast in the city.

''Kashi ke kan kan mein shankar virajman hai, aur isliye agar mandir nahi to sadak par hi vivah ho gaya (The air of Varanasi breaths with Lord Shiva ... if not a temple then the marriage can be solemenised on the street only,'' said Vimlesh Shukla, the priest.

Concurring with the views of the priest, the bride's father, Virendra Dubey, however, lamented that a socially relevant marriage could not be organised in any of the temples of Varanasi, also famous as 'City of temples'.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Varanasi Zone) A C Sharma admitted that marriages in prominent temples were no more permitted, especially after the March Seven blast at the Sankatmochan temple.

''It will cause inconvenience to those seeking to make marriages memorable in temples, but we are helpless due to the security requirements,'' he maintained.

Interestingly more than four marriages were taking place at the Sankatmochan temple when the powerful blast killed among others two photographers covering the marriages and one of the priests solemnising the marriage.

Intense security has been put in place at all prominent temples, with the Kashi Vishwanath, Kal Bhairav, Sankatmochan and the BHU Vishwanath temples being equipped with metal detectors.

At least 18 people were killed and over 100 others wounded in the twin blast that rocked the Sankatmochan temple and Varanasi Cantonment railway station within a span of 15 minutes on March Seven.

UNI ARS AKJ VP1210