Marriages made in relief camps may not be news in rain-battered Kerala, but this one scheduled for Monday at Apna Ghar in Kanjikode here is an exception. A civil society movement, involving youth from across the district, is meeting the expenses of the wedding of Priya Manikandan, 19, who lost everything, including the gold ornaments and dresses kept for the occasion, at her residence at Thonipalayam near Akathethara in the flash floods caused by the opening of the shutters of the Malampuzha dam.
“We escaped from the spot as soon as the house started disintegrating in the floods. We were not able to recover anything... Shifted to Apna Ghar of the Labour Department, a building to lodge guestworkers from outside the State, on the same night after the floods, we were worried about the marriage fixed for September 3. We had no resources and the future looked bleak,” said Ms. Priya’s mother Devi.
Though auto driver Selvaraj of Kallepulli, the bridegroom, was ready to meet all the expenses, Ms. Priya’s family was feeling bad about its helplessness. Then, the Youth of Palakkad, a collective of youngsters formed for rescue and rehabilitation, intervened. It offered to foot the bill for buying ornaments, dresses and the marriage feast.
It also arranged its formal inauguration on Sunday evening at Apna Ghar, organising the ‘previous day’ sadya (feast) of the marriage. Collector D. Balamurali inaugurated the formal activities of the collective by taking part in the sadya . The members of the group took an oath, saying that they would collectively brin about rescue and rehabilitation in the event of any minor or large calamity in future.
As the news spread, shopowners in Palakkad handed over ₹50,000 to the family. Kudumbasree activists also promised the couple a bigger amount.
The marriage on Monday will be attended by district officials and political leaders. “I am very much overwhelmed by the response of the people. Never expected such a collective spirit in helping me rebuild the future,’’ said Priya struggling hard to control her emotions.
