A total of 14 couples entered wedlock at a mass marriage ceremony atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru by the Department of Religious Endowment on Monday.
This was the first in a series to be organised every month under the Saptapadi Vivaha Scheme of the government.
The couples, who had registered, tied the knot in the presence of their parents and relatives before they were blessed by G.T. Deve Gowda, former Minister and MLA, Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri, and chief priest of Chamundeshwari Temple Shashishekar Dixit.
Each bride was given a mangalsutra with 8 grams in gold and ₹10,000 while each bridegroom was given ₹5,000.
Ms. Sindhuri said the programme was conceived over eight months ago, but got delayed due to COVID-19.
The ceremony was, however, being held close on the heels of fresh guidelines issued by the State government amid a surge in the infections.
The new guidelines restrict the gathering at marriages to 500 and the same will be strictly enforced from Tuesday, she warned, while appealing to the public to continue wearing masks and maintain social distance.
She also appealed to the people aged above 60 and those aged above 45 having comorbidities to get vaccinated.
Mr. Dixit said such programmes will be held every month in different temples, with the next one to be held at Nanjangud. It will also be held at the temples in Talkad and Mudukuthore in the coming months.
Mr. Gowda called upon the youth to make use of the opportunity by the government to marry at such programmes.
Instead of taking huge loans for organising lavish marriages, families should make use of the simple mass marriage programme, he said.
Mr. Gowda claimed that his son tied the knot at such a mass marriage and that he had also arranged several mass marriage programmes in Hunsur for poor families.
He also called upon the newlyweds to stay together and face challenges by remaining united. He also asked them to respect their parents and their in-laws.
