In the Indian district of Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, an incredibly strange wedding took place at the end of May. The bride suddenly passed away from a heart attack during the ceremonial exchange of garlands with her prospective husband. However, the decision was made to continue the wedding by replacing the deceased bride with her sister.
A girl named Surbhi suffered a heart attack during the exchange of garlands with her groom, Mangesh Kumar, as part of the Hindu wedding tradition. She lost consciousness, and the arriving doctor confirmed her death. Instead of stopping the wedding ceremony and canceling the celebration, the families on both sides agreed to replace the deceased bride with her younger sister, Nisha.
During the celebration, Surbhi’s body was in a separate room, and later she was cremated. Groom Mangesh Kumar and his bride Surbhi — the last photos before she fell lifeless.
The uncle of the deceased, Ajab Singh, later told journalists that it was «not easy» for the family to continue with the wedding. «It was a tough ordeal for our family. One daughter lay dead in one room, and the wedding of the other daughter was being celebrated in another room. We have never experienced such mixed emotions,» he said. The younger sister of the bride, Nisha, is circled in the photograph.
Surbhi’s brother, Gaurav, added: «We didn’t know what to do in the situation that unfolded. Both families sat together, and someone suggested marrying my younger sister Nisha to the groom. The families discussed this issue and agreed.» This decision can be explained by several factors. Firstly, the bride’s family expected a dowry. Secondly, the groom’s family wanted to avoid the shame that would befall a groom returning from the wedding without a bride.
The mother of the deceased, Guddi Devi, urged to proceed with the wedding despite the understandable emotions. She is currently mourning her eldest daughter but, at the same time, finds solace in the fact that her younger daughter got married. «It is very painful for mom,» Gaurav shared. «She calls out to Surbhi every day because she was the elder daughter. Surbhi dreamed of working wonders in her life. May she rest in peace.»