Marriage that spoke volumes for a couple

Anand, Dec 14 (UNI) Marriage extraordinaire it was. Radhika, the mute and deaf girl, who went on to become an athlete, got married to Gaurang today. The disabilities of her husband matched Radhika's and yet both seemed oblivous to their birth-defect, soaked as they were in the glory of the occasion.

The marriage was as grand as it could be with over 1000 guests blessing the couple this evening.

''It was sheer destiny that brought my only son Gaurang all the way here to wed Radhika,'' said Subhashbhai Ravasankar Bhojak.

His daughter Trupti, who works as teacher in local school here, had read an ad placed by Ashaben Dalal, who runs ''Jagrut Mahila Sangham'', about Radhika in a daily 'Naya Padkar'.

The groom, a brahmin from Surendranagar, was received by members of the Ladies Inner Wheel Club. Editor of Naya Padakar and former MP Deepak Patel acted as the guardian and the marriage ceremony (kanyadaan) was performed by the Gujarat Vidyapith Registrar, Rajendrabhai Khimani and his wife.

Ashaben's Sangham took care of all the expenses on behalf of Radhika. It also gave Rs 5000 in the form of a fixed deposit and the seven trustees of Sangham gave Rs 1000 each amounting to Rs 7,000 and a gold ring. The local Ambaji temple also gave five sarees for the wedding. Sarasaparam Guru Patashala, one of many donors, gave Rs 1001. While Elecon Engineering gave a memorable gift ''the mangalsutra,'' another man gifted a sewing machine.

Radhika was 11-year-old when she was found on a road by a good samaritan on May 24, 1997, at Sarsa village of Ahmedabad district, who handed her over to the Khamboraj police station. They sent her to the custody of a voluntary organisation Jagrut Mahila Sangham, run by Ashaben Dalal.

Under the patronage of the organiation, Radhika, as she was named by Ms Dalal, grew up and turned out to be a good sportsperson. She participated in a state athletic tournament in 2003, in which she stood second in 200 metres race and third in 400 metres. She also participated in the 13th national volleyball tournament.

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