A Karimnagar boy, who had gone to pursue his higher education, fell in love with a girl from United States of America (USA). After convincing their parents, they got married according to their respective traditions.
Raghuvansh Alankar, son of former District Medical and Health Officer Shankar Alankar, went to North Dakota in USA to study MBA in 2010. During the course of his stay, he developed friendship with Maria Zimmerman through online chatting. Later, they dated for around two years and decided to get married.
Both Maria and Raghuvansh informed their parents about their marriage proposal. When both sides agreed for it, Raghuvansh and Maria first married as per Christian traditions in a church in the US State of North Dakota. Later, they came down to Karimnagar and decided to marry as per the Hindu traditions before their relatives and friends.
Accordingly, the marriage was performed on Wednesday at a private function hall.
Maria wearing the silk saree, jewellery and mehendi, participated in all the traditional marriage rituals amid chanting of Vedic hymns. “Indian marriage tradition is great, and I am enthusiastic about the rituals of applying jaggery paste on forehead and tying of nuptial knots,” said Maria happily. She said that “I do respect the Indian traditions and culture”.
Shankar Alankar, father of Raghuvansh Alankar, said that their family was happy and proud to welcome an American girl as their daughter-in-law. “After all, we have to respect the interests of our children”, he said, and added that “our bride is very obedient and respects elders and the local traditions”.
Raghuvansh, a software developer in US, is also rejoiced to get married to Maria as per the Hindu traditions in front of his well-wishers and relatives in Karimnagar.
As Maria’s parents could not attend the marriage, Raghuvansh’s maternal uncle participated in the ‘kanyadanam’ ritual during the marriage ceremony. Maria, who worked as Cosmetologist for several years, is now planning to take up occupational or physical therapy as her profession.