Mangaluru: Schoolbooks as Gifts at Wedding – Singer Krishnaraj Kerpala Breaks a New Path

Mangaluru: It has been a time-honoured tradition on the part of family members, relatives, friends and well-wishers to present gifts to any newly-married couple. Over the generations, the practice was to give the bride and the groom something useful to make a home of their own – maybe household appliances or kitchen equipment or even clothings.

As the gatherings grew in number, it was noticed that the newlyweds ended up getting the same gifts in multiple numbers. Imagine a couple receiving four irons, three blenders or two dozens of identical utensils. Then the idea of presenting cash or gift vouchers redeemable at specified shops came into vogue. This gave the couple a wider choice to buy things from, which they would really need.

In recent times, the ‘no-presents-please’ or ‘presents-in-presence-only’ culture has set its roots. If some consider it unethical to expect presents on any occasion, there are a good number of them who feel awkward to attend any function without giving  gifts. There have been cases of invitees staying away from the functions just because they were asked to come without carrying anything with them.

In this backdrop, Krishnaraj Kerpala, a young singer from Sullia, who is the convener of the Sinchan’s Music troupe, set an exemplary, path-breaking tradition for others to follow last fortnight. Instead of the much-worn-out cliche ‘No Presents Please’, he requested the invitees to present schoolbooks for the needy, those who could not afford.

Krishnaraj, son of retired court employee Vaman Naik, added a note in his invitation that, if at all they must, they could present such an ideal gift, which would benefit students.

Further, the guests did not have to buy the books from elsewhere and carry it all the way to the wedding venue. A stall selling the books on ‘no-profit-no-loss’ basis had been set up outside for the convenience of the invitees. They could buy then and there and present them to Krishnaraj and his bride Poornima immediately.

The books were then handed to the students, some at the venue and others at the schools. Block education officer Kempalingappa, who spoke on the occasion, was all praise for the innovative thinking and wished that many prospective bridal couples would follow this example which was not only unique but so beneficial to the brilliant but needy students.

Here’s wishing that the married life of Krishnaraj and Poornima be full of music and have a ‘sinchan’ (spray) of such socially beneficent programmes.