An Indian man married his Greek lover at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Republic Day, January 26. Siddharth wed Penelope of Greece in a traditional Vedic wedding. Swami Yatindranand Giri, Mahamandaleshwar of the Juna Akhara, performed the kanyadan with the bride's mother and family present.
“We are very grateful just to get married to each other; she is really special. When we decided on it, we wanted to do it in the most authentic manner, which would be simple yet divine, and for that, we chose Prayagraj, Maha Kumbh, this specific date (January 26)," Siddharth told news agency ANI.
He added, “We know that at this point this is probably the best place not just in the country or the world but the universe, where all forms of divinity, pilgrimages, and everything are present here. You meet such great souls. We meet Maharaj ji (Swami Yatindranand Giri) and get his blessings, and this is such a pleasure for the heart and the soul."
“When we think about marriage, people are forgetting that marriage is a holy institution... It gives us an understanding that men and women are completers of each other; both are incomplete without the other. Following ancient tradition is not something to frown about... Marriage being such an important institution to one, it had to be done that we did it today the Vedic way," he further told the news agency.
Siddharth further claimed that when he proposed to Penelope, he gave her the option of being married in India or Greece, and she selected India.
Penelope described her wedding at the Maha Kumbh Mela as "magical beyond words.". She told the news agency, “I think what has happened today is something magical beyond words, and it is only when I see some of the pictures that I realize we were experiencing divine energy. I had never attended an Indian wedding, and today I was the bride, so everything was new to me but at the same time very familiar. What happened was a ceremony; I was married more spiritually, according to Vedic scriptures, and it was amazing."
Penelope, who converted from Buddhism to Hinduism, stated that "everything comes from Sanatan Dharma.". She added that she looks forward to the holy plunge on January 29.
“For me, it is a way to have a meaningful, happy life and go beyond this circle of birth and rebirth. As a person, this triggered me, as I was looking for a solution for the sadness of what happened in life. It was like a puzzle that was making some sense when you put it all together. I was into Buddhism for many years, and after that, I realized that everything comes from Sanatan Dharma, so I go to the source instead of somebody else speaking," Penelope expressed.
(With ANI inputs)
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