It was very rightly said by Mahatma Gandhi in one of his quotes that, “The law of love knows no bounds of space or time.” A similar example came out of the ongoing fight between Russia and Ukraine, where love continues to transcend all borders.
Sergei Novikov, who is an Israeli citizen of Russian origin, married his Ukrainian girlfriend, Elona Bramoka in Dharamshala, one of the districts that lies in Himachal Pradesh, India. The duo, who have been in a relationship for two years, had been living in Dharamkot village, known as the Tel Aviv of Himachal, for around a year.
They both tied the knot of their marriage on Tuesday, August 2 in a traditional Hindu ceremony at the Radha Krishan temple of Divya Ashram at Kharota village, amid reciting of holy mantras and the wedding procession, which called local wedding guests, couple’s friends and family members from abroad, who steered the groom while dancing to folk music.
The bride and groom were beautified in Indian traditional garb, with Sergei donning a kurta pyjama, achkan, pagdi and sehra, and Elona wearing a lehnga-choli and red embroidered dupatta. The couple solemnized their marriage by completing all the rituals, including performing seven vows around the sacred fire, a translator has guided them the meaning of the rituals and hymns.
Meanwhile, the host, Vinod Sharma, said it was nice to see that more and more foreigners were turning to Hinduism. Sharma’s family has performed and fulfilled all the rituals including Elona’s Kanyadaan (A ritual in which parents or guardians have to give away their daughter to the groom). The priest, Raman Sharma, said he was too happy to get this opportunity to solemnize the marriage of the unique couple, and explained to them the meaning of Sanatana dharma and the significance of marriage.
The guests also enjoyed a Kangri Dham, which a local chef prepared.