This Couple From Andhra Chose A Simple Wedding - To Help The Families Of Farmers Who Committed Suicide

Indian marriages are famous the world over for their lavishness, extravaganza and delicious cuisines. Leave aside the elitist marriages, even those from lower strata of the society witnesses at least a band, baja and baratis. A young couple from Amravati decided to sacrifice all this after being moved by the plight of farmers who were committing suicide.

Facebook/Abhay Deware

Abhay Deware and Preeti Kumbhare decided to change the trend and utilise that amount which could have been spent on the wedding for a noble cause. The groom, an IRS officer undergoing training at the Nagpur-based National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT) and wife, working as assistant manager with IDBI Bank's Mumbai branch, fell in love while preparing for UPSC and MPSC examinations.

Last Sunday, when they tied the knot at Abhiyanta Bhavan in Amravati, it didn't seem like a marriage ceremony, but resembled an event where dignitaries like farm activist Chandrakant Wankhede addressed the people on the farmers' suicides. Even various posters and banners regarding the topic were pasted all over the venue.

Facebook/Abhay Deware

The couple donated Rs 20,000 each to 10 farmers' families where their sole breadearners committed suicide due to mounting debts and successive crop failures. Additionally, they provided books of competitive examinations worth Rs 52,000 to five libraries in Amravati, including at their native village Umbarda Bazaar in Karanja Lad. All this came from their hard-earned savings, which they had saved for the marriage.

"The idea was revolving in the mind ever since I met President Pranab Mukherjee during his field visit. He advised us to become an agent of socio-economic change. Fortunately, even my wife was having similar thoughts. My in-laws also supported us and they were the ones who took the lead in finding out families where farmers had ended their lives," Abhay says.

BCCL/representative image

Inspired by the President's call, he started searching on details regarding expenditure occurred on marriages and was shocked to see the statistics. He came across a survey where it was mentioned that over Rs 1 lakh crore were spent in India every year on marriages.

"It's a staggering amount in poor country like ours where even the budget is around Rs16 lakh crore. The study further mentioned that despite huge disparity in the standard of living, people spend anywhere from Rs3 lakh-Rs 5 crore on a wedding," the groom, who is IIT Delhi graduate, says.

The same survey also pointed out that marriages were one of the reasons due to which many families have to borrow due to the huge expenditure. Those from lower strata sell their property, take loans and spend lifetime earnings on weddings.

Facebook/Abhay Deware

"Marriage is also one of the major reasons behind rising number of suicides in Vidarbha. All families tend to organize lavish marriages by imbibing the rich class. Yavatmal, native place of my wife, and Amravati, both have gained infamy for highest number of farmer suicides. We wanted to help such families, from whatever little we earned," Abhay adds.

Interestingly, their marriage had a very simple menu of chapati, rice, dal, and sabji, and without any sweet. The couple even avoided customary rituals and performed a simple registered marriage on the stage. It was followed by inspiring speeches by Wankhede and other activists like Madhu Uke, Ravindra Mundre, Ashish Lohey, Ramesh Katke and Arjun Thosare. They also wanted to avoid the lunch. But since many guests were from outside, including girl's parents, along with thousands of other guests, they decided to have a simple menu.

Endorsing her husband, Priti, a BTech from SGGS College in Nanded, says they now plan to pay for the entire education of farmers' children along with coaching classes for class X and XII exams.

"If educated youth like us can't start such things, there is no use of our education. We must realize that we carry a certain social responsibility for the society," she says.