<p class="title">As many as four couples tied the knot during the government-sponsored ‘Sapthapadi’ (mass marriage) at Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bridegrooms received Rs 5,000 each in cash and the brides received Rs 10,000 each, along with the Mangalasutra.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kollur temple administration offered sarees to the brides, dhotis to the bridegrooms and a picture of the temple’s presiding deity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Byndoor MLA Sukumar Shetty, addressing the newlyweds after inaugurating ‘Sapthapadi’, said the government had introduced the initiative to prevent the poor and underprivileged from being burdened with unnecessary expenses.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said the couples were indeed blessed to have tied the knot before the goddess.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“It is a good initiative and youth should avoid lavish expenditure during the weddings,” he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Spiritual guru Sri Ravishankar Guruji was present and blessed the newlyweds.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The temple, which is administered by the Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, had sponsored the mass marriage as per the Sapthapadi scheme of the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Religious rituals were held under the guidance of Gajanana Joshi, serving as the priest of the temple.</p>
<p class="title">As many as four couples tied the knot during the government-sponsored ‘Sapthapadi’ (mass marriage) at Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur on Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bridegrooms received Rs 5,000 each in cash and the brides received Rs 10,000 each, along with the Mangalasutra.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kollur temple administration offered sarees to the brides, dhotis to the bridegrooms and a picture of the temple’s presiding deity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Byndoor MLA Sukumar Shetty, addressing the newlyweds after inaugurating ‘Sapthapadi’, said the government had introduced the initiative to prevent the poor and underprivileged from being burdened with unnecessary expenses.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He said the couples were indeed blessed to have tied the knot before the goddess.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“It is a good initiative and youth should avoid lavish expenditure during the weddings,” he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Spiritual guru Sri Ravishankar Guruji was present and blessed the newlyweds.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The temple, which is administered by the Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, had sponsored the mass marriage as per the Sapthapadi scheme of the government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Religious rituals were held under the guidance of Gajanana Joshi, serving as the priest of the temple.</p>