Gorakhpur: Two women in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur left their homes and married each other after both of them were fed up with their alcoholic husbands.
Kavita and Gunja alias Bablu tied the knot at the Shiva Temple, also called Choti Kashi, in Deoria Thursday evening. They told reporters that they first connected on Instagram and were brought closer by their similar circumstances. Both endured domestic violence at the hands of their alcoholic spouses.
At the temple, Gunja assumed the role of the groom, applied sindoor (vermillion) to Kavita, exchanged garlands with her, and completed the seven pheras. "We were tormented by our husbands' drinking and abusive behaviour. This pushed us to choose a life of peace and love. We have decided to live in Gorakhpur as a couple and work to sustain ourselves," Gunja said.
The two now plan to rent a room and begin their journey as a married couple. Temple priest Uma Shankar Pandey said the women purchased garlands and sindoor, performed rituals, and quietly left.
It is pertinent to mention that same-sex marriage is illegal in India. On October 17, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against legalizing same-sex marriage. The court stated that the decision was beyond its scope and should be left to Parliament.
Despite the aspect of legality, sporadic cases of gay or lesbian couples 'marrying' each other are reported from different states. The most recent one was from January 10 when a lesbian couple from Bihar's Begusarai ran away to Delhi and got married in a temple. (Agency inputs)
Read More
Lesbian Couple From Bihar Flee Home, 'Marry' At Delhi Temple
