The photo of Rajeshwari giving her daughter’s hand to her groom went viral within minutes the wedding photographer, Varun, posted it on the Internet. Photo: Vaun's Instagram pageThe spunky photograph in which a mother is conducting Kanyaadan of her daughter is the new viral sensation.
The mother in the photograph is Rajeshwari Sharma. The photo of Rajeshwari giving her daughter’s hand to her groom went viral within minutes the wedding photographer, Varun, posted it on the Internet.
Kanyadaan is the ceremony in Hindu- Tamil marriages where the bride’s father presents his daughter to the groom, entrusting him with her future. In case the father is absent, the mantle is passed on to other men like bride’s uncle or brother.
Rajeshwari separated from her husband seventeen years ago. She has been living in Australia and single-handedly raised her children. All these years, she has been their pillar of strength. When her daughter expressed the desire to marry her Australian partner, Rajeshwari had only one demand, that the marriage should be according to the Hindu tradition. They traveled to Chennai for the Hindu marriage. At the venue, neither mother nor daughter had any doubts about who would do the Kanyadaan.
Many feel that Rajeshwari’s bold act breaks a gender taboo for single mothers and gives the courage to other women to follow suit.
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