Juelkunti village, which comes under SAMUHA-Kanakanala Watershed Project area, comprises 132 families. Shribeeralingeshwara festival, which is an annual affair in this village, was celebrated on April 21, 2002. As part of the festivities, the people decided to hold a community mass marriage in the village. While discussing the arrangements for the mass marriage, they came to realise that the villagers could not manage all the arrangements. They decided to approach SAMUHA to assist them in organising the food, and the crowd.
On April 24, 2002, the staff visited the village and made the necessary arrangements. At 11 am, all the couples were summoned to the temple, and at 12:22 pm, the community mass marriage began. Seven couples were wedded on this occasion, which 2000 people came to witness. After the ceremony, lunch was provided, and thereafter, several competitions were held.
Another mass marriage was held in Navalahalli on the occasion of the conclusion of the Basava discourses, where twenty four couples tied the knot.
Under the auspices of Shrisharannabasaveshwar Pravarchana Mandal, a community mass marriage was organised in Abhijan Muhurtha. The village Gram Samstha, Shrisharannabasaveshwar Organising Committee, Kanakanala Abhivruddhi Samstha and Kanakanala Watershed Project, Tavaragera, organised and conducted the marriage of 36 couples.
The advantages of community mass marriages
- It paves the way for elimination of caste, religion and superstition.
- It considerably reduces unnecessary expenditure.
- There is greater scope for equality in the marriage.
- There is greater social reorganisation.
