Mangalyasudha is Amma’s tradition of annual mass marriages for couples too poor to afford a wedding. This year included further happiness for one of the families. Amma conducted the wedding of a bride whose parents were married by Amma 22 years ago.
In this deeply moving video, Kasturi, Amma’s elder sister, shares how the custom started in the early 1990s. Amma especially expressed her concern that it is often the bride’s family who sink into debt.
Amma takes care of everything, including the Ashram sponsoring gold necklaces, earrings, bangles, wedding rings, clothing, and the wedding feast. One of the stipulations is that the bride’s family pay no dowry to the groom’s.
The happiness that emanates from the couples and their families cannot even be captured in words. The door to a completely new life opens with financial constraints no longer an obstacle as they begin their lives together.
