Just ask yourself how many times you would have viewed a wedding video of another person. Two times, 3 times, 5 times? Most often, we don’t relish watching the wedding video of a third person unless that person insists and you do so to keep him happy by feigning interest and hiding your boredom.

Recently I have been viewing alone and with friends, two video clips posted on YouTube of a (Jaffna ?) Tamil Hindu couple Dilip and Mohana, more than 10 times, with mixed apprehension.

This wedding took place on February 12, 2012 at Sree MahaMariamman Temple in Singapore. A week later, two video clips were uploaded to YouTube by MsMohanarajan on February 19, 2012. The first clip shows the groom, Dilip Kumar, entering the wedding hall and the second shows the bride, Mohana Rajan’s entrance.

So far the video clip of the entrance made by the groom has had 563,631 views and the video clip of the  bride’s entrance has a record breaking 1,536,902 views. Above all, a fan page has been created on Facebook under the name “Dilip Kumar Mohana Rajan” that has scored 269 likes and 78 persons are talking about this wedding.

What is so unique about these clips? To answer this question you must see the clips. Click on the following links to view the videos

1. Video #1: Unique Entrance made by the Groom 
2. Video # 2: Unique Entrance made by the Bride

In an interview given to OLI 96.8FM, Singapore, Mohana Rajan says that she being a Bharatha Natyam dancer wanted to make her wedding a memorable one and Dilip Kumar relented to her wish.

There have been mixed reactions from viewers of these two video clips. In fact there are around 144 comments for groom’s entrance and 626 comments for the bride’s entrance on YouTube.

Some praise the clips while those who uphold the sanctity of marriage and wish to follow the Hindu religious traditions censure them.

One Facebook commentator says, “You guys had a grand fun entrance to your wedding and definitely put on a smile on more than a million faces.. What a blessed way to start your journey of togetherness. Have a blessed married life! (sic) “

Another person comments in YouTube: “Jaffna low caste cultute is not considered as Tamil culture. Indian cinema culture destroying pure Jaffna Tamil culture. These kinds of people should be outcasted from society. Ada thuuuuuu. (sic)”

Another comment in YouTube reads: “I really lliked the the dancing.. just feeling bad that my Tamil culture is exstreamly ruined. You could have danced in your reception instead.
You just forgot that it has a meaning to wear saary and all those traditional stuffs while during the wedding. You didn’t give any meaning to yours instead made it funny. I respect your freedom but think on your own. There is no need to do a Tamil traditional wedding if you don’t believe on it or want to make fun of it. I respect my culture, so do
many! (sic)”

You might be intending to ask me what I think about this barmy incident.

Well, I am a Tamil and a Catholic and I believe in the sacrament and sanctity of marriage and also wish to uphold the Tamil traditions.  Not only Christians, but all religions concur and preach what I firmly believe.

This couple follow Hinduism, which like Buddhism, is not a religion in the sense Judaism, Christianity or Islam are. Hinduism like Buddhism is a way of life.

Thousands of years ago Samskaras or sacraments were instituted in Hinduism to bring sanctity and stability to the lives of the individuals and to integrate their personalities with the society they were born in. The ancient seers and sages, endowed with sacred knowledge, made it their bounden duty to transform the crude animal that we were, into homo sapiens, with the help of the Samskaras. In Hindu rituals, life is regarded as a cycle. From birth to death a person undergoes 16 Samskaras; and marriage is one of the most important among them.

The rich, noble heritage of Hindu ethos proclaim that the sacrament of marriage impresses upon a person that earthly life should not be despised; rather it should consciously be accepted and elevated to the level of a spiritual existence.

Hindu families live all over the world.  Though some live outside India, they all have strong ties with the Hindu culture and way of life, and feel that they should, on such important occasions in life such as marriage, perform the Samskara in the traditional Hindu way by availing the rich, noble heritage of Hindu thought, ritual and tradition.

Gatherings of near and dear ones and receptions most certainly enhance the pleasure of the occasion and the joy of wedding. However, the Hindu marriage ceremony like the Judaic, Christian, and Islamic, is a an ennobling sacrament and it is advisable to perform the marriage rites in a serene atmosphere without much pomp and pageantry.

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