Dutch couple overwhelmed by their Indian wedding

Nagpur, Mar 2 (UNI) It was probably the most touching moment of her life for Shashikala when she got married for a second time to her Dutch groom Joseph, as per Indian rites, at a brief ceremony here today.

Her eyes turned moist and she had a lump in her throat as Shashikala Kiers (34), an Indian adopted by a family from The Netherlands over three decades ago, exchanged garlands with her Dutch groom Joseph Vos (32).

Overcome with emotion, she clasped the hand of her husband amid a blinding flash of cameras. Shashikala said she was both touched and excited about the ceremony, a sentiment echoed by Joseph.

''It is great. It is a wonderful feeling,'' said Joseph.

As a select group of guests partook of a light lunch, the couple, dressed in traditional Indian wedding finery, participated in the rites in front of a ''homa'' (Holy Fire). The rites went off smoothly, the only hitch being the difficulty that the priest had in communicating with the bride and the couple and so a bridesmaid had to double as interpreter.

The couple, both practising Christians, had a church wedding on May 25, 2007, at their hometown Apeldoorn in Central Holland.

However, they went through the Indian wedding rites again as Shashikala has her roots in India, more particularly in Nagpur. A local orphanage took her under its wings when she was found abandoned as a one-year-old, and later, gave her into adoption to Eric and Anna Kiers from the Netherlands.

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