Mass wedding ceremonies conducted by AIADMK

Former Minister C. Ponnaiyan, with couples at a mass free wedding ceremony as a part of AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa's birthday celebrations in Thanjavur on Friday. R Vaithilingam, Orathanad Constituency MLA is also in the picture. Photo: M. Srinath

Cauvery Kalyana Mandapam on Nanjikottai road here normally hosts a single wedding on a given day. But on Friday it played host to the wedding ceremonies of 32 couples-thanks to the 63rd birthday celebrations of Jayalalithaa, AIADMK general secretary.

Thanjavur South District Unit of the party organised the mass wedding ceremony to celebrate the birthday of Jayalalithaa. C. Ponnaiyan, former minister and State organising secretary of the party, Durai Govindarajan, State president of the farmers’ wing of the party, R. Vaidyalingam, former minister and Thanjavur south district secretary of the party conducted the weddings by handing over the “ Tirumangalyam ” to the couples and asking the bridegroom to tie the knot.

The couples were provided with 63 types of articles as “

Seervarisai ” to mark the 63rd birthday of Jayalalithhaa. They included (other than the gold

Tirumangalyam ) two

Kuthuvilakkus , one

Kamakshi

vilakku , silk

dhoti and silk shirt for the bridegroom, silk sari for the bride, pillows, bedsheets, stainless steel vessels and so forth.

Vaidyalingam said the party district unit has been organising such mass weddings every year. Every year the number of couples is increasing. In three years it has increased from 10 to 32. In the coming years more couples will be included in such ceremonies.

Savithiri Gopal, an AIADMK Municipal Councillor sang a song to bless the couple. Durai Thirugnanam, Thanjavur assembly segment secretary of the party, Rajeswaran, Municipal councillor and others participated.