Meet Rajasthan's oldest newlyweds: 90 and 95-year-olds get married after 70 years of live-in relationship
Agencies
Synopsis
Rama Bhai Kharari, 95, and Jeewali Devi, 90, from Rajasthan married after seventy years. The couple raised eight children in Dungarpur district. They were united under the Nata custom. The family supported their wish to wed. A pre-wedding haldi ritual was held. The wedding included a traditional procession. Villagers and family members celebrated with music and dancing.
By ET Online
After spending nearly seven decades together in a live-in partnership, an elderly couple from Rajasthan recently formalized their bond through marriage, drawing love and support from their extended family. The heartwarming ceremony took place in a remote tribal hamlet in Dungarpur district, where family members—spanning generations—gathered to bless and rejoice in the union. Images and clips capturing this extraordinary event quickly gained traction online, spreading warmth across social media platforms.
The circulating pictures portray the elderly pair adorned in traditional ceremonial garments specific to their community's customs. Smiles from neighbors and family members lit up the frames as people enthusiastically took photographs and joined in the celebration. Accompanying videos displayed an atmosphere filled with joy—guests danced energetically to festive music while chants and cheers elevated the mood, making the moment unforgettable.
This couple had been united under the Nata custom, a culturally unique tradition prevalent in Rajasthan’s tribal societies. This practice allows individuals to live together and start families without undergoing a formal marriage. Though children from such partnerships legally inherit their father's assets, women in these relationships often face restrictions in social and religious spheres. For instance, they might be excluded from participating in their children’s weddings, pre-wedding rituals such as the haldi ceremony, or greeting the groom during nuptials.
As the elderly pair expressed their desire to finally be wed, the entire family collectively supported their wish. Village elders were consulted, and a pre-wedding haldi ritual was held on June 1. The wedding followed on June 4, attracting attendance from nearly every household in the village.
The celebration included a vibrant bandoli, the couple’s traditional wedding procession. This featured loud DJ music, rhythmic dancing, and the spirited involvement of both villagers and family members. Once the couple completed the seven sacred rounds around the fire, a grand community feast was organized in their honor.
The entire event stood as a testament to love’s endurance, the strength of cultural roots, and a community’s wholehearted embrace of tradition, compassion, and unity—proving that it is never too late to celebrate love formally.
ADVERTISEMENT
The couple, Rama Bhai Kharari, aged 95, and Jeewali Devi, aged 90, hail from Galandar village in Dungarpur. Over the years, they raised eight children and welcomed numerous grandchildren, all without having entered into a formal marital arrangement. On June 4, after nearly seventy years of living together, the two finally chose to marry with the full approval and enthusiasm of their entire family.The circulating pictures portray the elderly pair adorned in traditional ceremonial garments specific to their community's customs. Smiles from neighbors and family members lit up the frames as people enthusiastically took photographs and joined in the celebration. Accompanying videos displayed an atmosphere filled with joy—guests danced energetically to festive music while chants and cheers elevated the mood, making the moment unforgettable.
This couple had been united under the Nata custom, a culturally unique tradition prevalent in Rajasthan’s tribal societies. This practice allows individuals to live together and start families without undergoing a formal marriage. Though children from such partnerships legally inherit their father's assets, women in these relationships often face restrictions in social and religious spheres. For instance, they might be excluded from participating in their children’s weddings, pre-wedding rituals such as the haldi ceremony, or greeting the groom during nuptials.
As the elderly pair expressed their desire to finally be wed, the entire family collectively supported their wish. Village elders were consulted, and a pre-wedding haldi ritual was held on June 1. The wedding followed on June 4, attracting attendance from nearly every household in the village.
The celebration included a vibrant bandoli, the couple’s traditional wedding procession. This featured loud DJ music, rhythmic dancing, and the spirited involvement of both villagers and family members. Once the couple completed the seven sacred rounds around the fire, a grand community feast was organized in their honor.
ADVERTISEMENT
The entire event stood as a testament to love’s endurance, the strength of cultural roots, and a community’s wholehearted embrace of tradition, compassion, and unity—proving that it is never too late to celebrate love formally.
