- Narayan Seva Sansthan’s 45th inclusive wedding ceremony champions dignity, equality and social acceptance
- Two-day celebration in Udaipur to unite differently-abled and underprivileged couples through traditional Vedic rituals
- Initiative counters stigma around disability and poverty while enabling families and community support
- Stories of crage from participating couples underline the power of inclusion and shared human values
NE FEATURES BUREAU
UDAIPUR, MAR 11
In a powerful demonstration of compassion, inclusion and social responsibility, Narayan Seva Sansthan will organise its 45th Divyang and Underprivileged Mass Wedding Ceremony on March 14–15, 2026, at the Seva Mahatirth Campus in Udaipur.
During the two-day ceremony, 51 couples — including several persons with disabilities — will tie the knot, surrounded by their families, social workers, donors and well-wishers. The initiative seeks to restore dignity to individuals who often face social and economic barriers when it comes to fulfilling life’s important cultural traditions such as marriage.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 16 percent of the global population lives with some form of disability. In many developing regions, disability combined with poverty and social prejudice makes marriage extremely difficult. Through this initiative, the Sansthan aims to remove those barriers and create opportunities for individuals to build stable family lives.
The weddings will be solemnised according to traditional Vedic rituals, accompanied by devotional music and cultural programmes. Saints, social workers, public representatives and donors from India and abroad are expected to attend the ceremony. Several guests will also participate in the Kanyadaan ritual, offering blessings to the couples as they begin their new journey.
Speaking about the initiative, Prashant Agarwal, President of the Sansthan, emphasised the organisation’s long-standing commitment to equality and dignity.
“The organisation has been consistently working to ensure that persons with disabilities receive equal opportunities and dignity in society. Over the years, the institution has helped solemnise the marriages of thousands of differently-abled individuals, enabling them to overcome social stigma and build independent lives.”
The participating couples include individuals with locomotor disabilities, hearing impairments and speech impairments. Many have also undergone vocational training and skill development programmes through the Sansthan, enabling them to become self-reliant before entering married life.
Stories of Courage and Hope
Among the couples is Rajesh from Morena in Madhya Pradesh, who has been physically disabled in both legs since birth. Despite severe mobility challenges, he built a livelihood by running a small e-Mitra service centre. His bride-to-be Rajkumari from Bhind, affectionately known as “Chhoti,” is congenitally deaf and mute. Financial hardship had made marriage seem unlikely for her. Through the mass wedding initiative, the two met and are now ready to begin their life journey together.
Another inspiring pair is Madhu Bhoi from Udaipur, who has a disability in her left leg and works in a beauty parlour, and Santosh Kumar Lodha from Indore, who became paralysed in infancy but overcame adversity to become a school teacher. Social bias and financial challenges had made marriage difficult for both until they connected through the Sansthan’s programmes and developed mutual respect and friendship.
Their union, like many others in the ceremony, symbolises resilience, dignity and shared hope.
With the upcoming event set to unite 51 families, the initiative sends a strong message that service, compassion and inclusion are essential to building a humane and equitable society.
