Moodbidri: A wedding is a holy union of a man and a woman, who take vows of togetherness and determination to share each other’s joy and sorrow.
Lily and Anthony Rodrigues
In accordance with the Hindu traditions, the newlyweds fulfil the ritual of Saptapadi, or Seven Steps, and walk around fire, thereby honouring the fire god, Agni, while also asserting their promises to each other with him as a witness. It goes this way.
“Let us take the first step to provide for our household a nourishing and pure diet, avoiding those foods injurious to healthy living. Let us take the second step to develop physical, mental and spiritual powers. Let us take the third step to increase our wealth by righteous means and proper use. Let us take the fourth step to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love and trust. Let us take the fifth step so that we are blessed with strong, virtuous and heroic children. Let us take the sixth step for self-restraint and longevity. Finally, let us take the seventh step and be true companions and remain lifelong partners by this wedlock.”
Interestingly enough, the same spirit and ethos are conveyed at a Christian wedding. The groom and the bride exchange the vows as follows.
“I, ___, take you, ___, for my lawful wife / husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part. I, ___, take you, ___, to be my husband / wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.”
Death does any couple apart, all right. But in the case of a couple from Kandattu in Kallabettu near here, the bond remained beyond it. Lily Rodrigues (86) died following a brief illness around 2-30 pm on Friday, January 2.
She was apparently in deep grief over the death of her centenarian husband Anthony Rodrigues (101), who lived in Koppa of Chikkamagaluru district, only the previous day.
Not many couples might be blessed with such a long blissful married life. May their souls rest in peace.
A date with destiny!
- Mysore: Octogenarian Sisters Living Together United in Death!
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- Udupi: Being Together – Mendonca Brothers Die within Four Hours of Each Other
- Moodbidri: Angara Shetty-Narsi Couple – United in Wedlock, Together in Death
- Hassan: Javaraiah (86) and Javaramma (80), Married for 65 Years, United beyond Death…
- Madikeri: A Loving Son and a Caring Mother – United Even in Death!