Valentine’s Day becomes an auspicious day to tie knot

Legend has it that St Valentine was a European priest who was executed some 2000 years ago for secretly marrying innumerable young lovers fleeing disapproving families. On Monday, Bharat Zaveri played that role in Ahmedabad.

Zaveri, who runs a registered trust inside the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Court that marries young Hindu couples, had a busy day on Valentine’s Day — from the average two or three a day, he had to perform 25 wedding ceremonies. Eighteen were without the consent of the couple’s families. Some married out of hope.

“My girl-friend’s parents are opposed to our marriage. And today is Valentine’s Day, the lovers’ day, an auspicious day for marriage. So, we decided to marry with a few friends around,” says Pankaj Patel (name changed), a 25-year-old boy from Bapunagar who got married to 21-year-old Meena (name changed) from the same locality.

Pankaj, understandably anxious to remain anonymous, hopes Meena’s parents would end up accepting their relationship once they find out they are already married.

“We will produce our marriage certificate before them at the right time,” says Pankaj, clean-shaven and with a fresh hair-cut for the occasion. He and Meena are to go back home to their own families for now, to wait for that ‘right time’.

Zaveri agrees

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