A 96-year-old woman, who was keen her widower-son remarry, passed away 10 days after he tied the knot, secure in the knowledge that the 68-year-old would not be lonely in the twilight of his life.
Madavi would constantly worry about Major (retd) K V Jayarajan’s future after the demise of his wife in 2009. Luckily for her, Jayarajan found love again. The woman was 59-year-old Prabha who had lost her husband at the age of 23. While Jayarajan’s son was all for a wedding, Prabha’s three daughters opposed it tooth and nail.
Bangalore Mirror had reported on February 14 that they were planning to elope. Fortunately, the scenario changed. Jayarajan says, “The girls whole-heartedly agreed to our marriage. They did not attend, but hope that they would grow close to us with the passage of time.”
The wedding took place on a hot morning on May 8 in Thoda village in Kerala, at a Shiv temple. The couple kept it a quiet affair with each inviting only a handful relatives. Jayarajan arrived at the temple in his brother-in-law’s Maruti 800 wearing a crisp, grey shirt and black trousers. Prabha reached 10 minutes later in a multi-colour sari.
Rings were exchanged and Jayarajan tied a mangalsutra on Prabha. The priest completed the rituals in 10 minutes. Only 10 relatives were present. “The ceremony was solemnised by Lord Shiva,” says Jayarajan. After the ceremony, he took his new bride to his house to meet his mother.
“When I re-married, there was nobody as happy as my mother. It was as if her face had lit up,” he says. After seeking and getting her blessings, the couple went to the bride’s house for an elaborate lunch. Jayarajan’s son Ramith couldn’t attend the wedding due to a prior commitment, but made it to the registrar’s office where the marriage was registered.
After the wedding, Jayarajan had to go to Hyderabad on an assignment for the Union government. Prabha accompanied him. While they were in the Andhra Pradesh capital, Jayarajan’s mother passed away. The couple reached Kannur on May 19 for her final rites.
