A 23-year-old villager from India’s Uttar Pradesh state pedalled some 100 km on a bicycle to marry on a pre-fixed date that was planned before the COVID-19 lockdown.
The family of the bride and bridegroom waited until the last minute for approval from the administration of Hamirpur district for the wedding on 25 April.
With a handkerchief to cover the mouth, Kalku Prajapati, the bridegroom, decided to ride on his bicycle to the neighbouring Mahoba district, where his bride Rinki awaited.
The two married at the village temple in casual clothes, so as to avoid unwanted attention, and masks on their faces.
However, what awaited was an arduous journey for the newly-wedded couple, as the groom had to cover the 100 km distance with his wife as a pillion.
The groom was quoted by local newspapers as saying that he had never even dreamt of getting married one fine day in such a fashion.
“I had not thought that my legs will have such pain. I could not sleep and had to take pills to ease it”, said the groom.
He clarified that he couldn’t have waited for the lockdown to be lifted, as his mother is unwell.
Earlier, in another event, a man outsmarted the police by travelling in an ambulance to marry in Uttar Pradesh state. A case was later registered after the police came to know about the wedding by hearsay.