Hours before the wedding, the groom and his entire family had to be rescued by hired boats.
It was a monsoon wedding everyone involved would remember. Hours before the wedding, the groom and his entire family had to be rescued by hired boats -- the Velachery area of Chennai, where their home is located, was flooded.
It was a particularly tense period for bride-to-be Purnima and her parents. The wedding was on Sunday, but the groom, Rajagopal, could not be contacted for four days before that.
Till phone connectivity lasted, the groom's family had assured come what may, they would be on time. "After the first day, we began to panic," said Purnima.
"Postponing the wedding was not an option. Both bride and groom work in the US and arrangements were made a year ago, including the booking of the hall, '' said Purnima's father Natarajan.
With the weather clearing up slightly over the last two days, a number of guests turned up. But not everybody had been able to reach.
There was a large amount of leftover food, which the families decided to send for the students of a nearby institution.
"We didn't feel very good, holding celebrations at such a time. But life has to go on. So the family did their bit. We are happy they could feed a few people in this hour of need,'' said Lakshmi, a close friend
of the family.
Purnima and Rajagopal weren't the only couple to tie-the knot amid such trying circumstances. December being an auspicious time for weddings, many other couples are getting married - often standing in ankle-deep water.