Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) Within days of the royal wedding of Britain’s Prince Williams and Kate Middleton that attracted global audience, Delhi will have its own wedding moments Friday as an estimated 15,000 couples are expected to tie the knot on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya.

“Over 15,000 marriages are expected to take place in and around the city on Akshaya Tritiya, which is one of the auspicious days for Hindus,” Pandit Vijay Sharma in north Delhi said Wednesday.

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, falls on the third day of the Shukla Paksha (bright phase of moon) in the month of Vaishakha on the Hindu calendar, which falls in April-May every year.

The moon and the sun will be at their brightest, highlighting the day’s auspiciousness, said the priest.

Pandit Ravinder Nagar at the Birla Temple in Delhi said: “Over the years, the number couples opting Akshya Tritya for wedding has increased. It is believed that one can get married on this day without even fixing a muhurta (auspicious time).”

As the day nears, families are busy rushing to book venues, caterers, bands, menhdiwalas and priests.

Some of the farmhouse owners in south Delhi said they were booked as many as six months ago.

The wedding card printers also saw huge demand this season.

“We have sold wedding cards for over Rs.2 lakh for Friday’s,” said Mahesh Verma, who owns a card shop in Chawari Bazar.

With a spate of marriages in the offing, Delhi Police have also made special arrangements to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day and the celebrations do not cause inconvenience to others.

“Yes we are fully prepared to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Chhaya Sharma told IANS.

“Extra staff will be deployed near the places of marriages in the city. Police control room vans and motorcycle patrols will be on duty with help from traffic police,” she added.