Celebrations To Mourning: Bihar Groom Dies Just Before Doing Rounds Of Fire

A wedding in Bihar's Bettiah district came to a sudden and tragic end on Thursday when the groom collapsed and died just before the final part of the ceremony could take place. 

Shakti Nath Sharma, 25, was to be married to Raghuni Kumari, daughter of Santosh Sharma, from Chikni village in the East Champaran district.

The wedding procession, accompanied by a band and relatives, had arrived at the village with much fanfare. All the preparations were in place. The welcome ceremony had been completed, the Dwar-char (traditional welcoming ritual) ritual observed, and the garland exchange, known as the Varmala, had taken place. 

The couple had been seated on the wedding stage, and the phera ritual was about to begin.

Shakti Nath's brother, Karmi Sharma, said the groom suddenly complained of severe stomach pain just before the ritual could take place. Those around him initially thought it was a minor problem and did not immediately raise the alarm. But when his condition worsened quickly, the family rushed him to a nearby private hospital.

Seeing how serious his condition was, doctors there referred him to SRPS Hospital in Raxaul. By the time he arrived and was examined, it was too late. Shakti Nath Sharma was declared dead.

When the news reached the wedding venue, the atmosphere changed in an instant. The venue that had been filled with music was overtaken by wailing and grief. 

The home that had been preparing for the bride's vidai (farewell) was instead left shattered by the news.

Karma Sharma, brother of the groom, said Shakti Nath was the youngest of three brothers. Their parents had already passed away. The wedding had been looked forward to as a moment of happiness for what remained of the family. Instead, it has left them, and the bride's family, completely bereft.

(With inputs from Jitendra kumar Gupta)