From Russia with love!

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 16 (UNI) When a Kerala native first met a Russin girl at an Indian cultural festival in Moscow, he knew she would be his wife one day.

Six years later, Dr Prathap, a native of Perunthanni, tied the knot with Dr Kristina of Russia in God's Own Country.

Prathap met Kristina in 2000, when he was a medical student at Moscow. He met her during an Indian cultural festival at Moscow where she wore sari. ''Later our friendship turned into love,'' he said.

Dr Prathap told UNI that Krisitina would cook food in Kerala style, he said.

Dr Kristina, a Ph.D in Human Physiology, said she loved Kerala culture, dress, food and people and the strong family relationships and marriage bonds.

Though Kristina belonged to a Christian family, the wedding ceremony was conducted as per Hindu tradition, attended by her mother and brother.

She said she liked the Hindu tradition of marriage and was quite comfortable with the sari, ornaments, cosmetics and costumes.

Kristina's mother Zerniskaya said she was happy that her daughter selected her partner from Kerala and if they get an opportunity, her son too would marry a Keralite.

Expressing happiness over the decision of their son, Pratap's parents said they had no objection to the wedding.

The couple would fly back to Moscow and marry as per Christian traditions also.

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