Three orphaned women find new beginnings as mass wedding held at Davanagere women’s hostel

Davanagere: Joy, emotion, and new beginnings filled the air at the State Women’s Shelter Home in Davanagere, which turned into a festive wedding hall on Friday.

Three long-time residents of the hostel — Ruchita, Rakshita, and Shalini — tied the knot in a heartwarming ceremony organized under the supervision of the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

As the sacred rituals began, the brides, dressed in bright new sarees, exchanged garlands with their grooms while tears of joy welled up in their eyes. The wedding hall, decorated with a traditional canopy and flowers, echoed with the sounds of the nadaswara and blessings from guests.

The three couples — Ruchita with N. Praveen from SPS Nagar, Rakshita with B.M. Basavaraj from Shanshipura, and Shalini with M.H. Nagaraj from Anaji village — completed their wedding vows before hundreds of attendees, including senior district officials.

District Law Services Authority Secretary Mahaveer Karenavar, SP Uma Prashanth, ZP CEO Gitte Madhav Vittalrao, District Health Officer Dr. Shanmukhappa, and Women and Child Welfare Deputy Director Raja Naik were among those present.

Established in 1977, the State Women’s Hostel provides shelter for abandoned and destitute women above 18 years. Ruchita, Shalini, and Rakshita had lived there for years after losing family support. The hostel staff, who had raised them like their own, were deeply involved in the arrangements, treating it like a family wedding.

Shalini and Ruchita lost their mothers early in life, while Rakshita — who lost both parents — was abandoned by her brother. All three underwent skill training and basic education at the hostel before being matched with prospective grooms who applied through the department’s marriage assistance program.

Prospective grooms had submitted formal requests to marry residents of the shelter. After careful verification and mutual consent, the department approved the matches. The weddings will soon be officially registered at the sub-registrar’s office.

“I own a two-and-a-half-acre arecanut plantation and had been searching for a bride for years. I came across reports about the women’s shelter and contacted them. I’m delighted to have married Rakshita.”

Similarly, N. Praveen, who works in a furniture store said:

“I had applied for marriage through the women’s home more than a year ago. Today, I’m overjoyed to have married Ruchita.”

Love beyond words:

One of the most emotional unions was between Shalini and Nagaraj, both of whom are speech- and hearing-impaired. Relatives and guests were moved as the couple exchanged vows through gestures and smiles.

Nagaraj, a farmer from Anaji, had specifically requested to marry a bride who could communicate through signs like him. “Nagaraj could have chosen any woman, but he wanted a partner who shared his way of communication,” said Prakash, Officer for the Welfare of Differently Able Persons.

“A second chance at life”:

“I came to the hostel because of family problems. Marriage has given me a chance to rebuild my life,” said bride Rakshita. “I studied till high school and stayed at the women’s home for seven years. This marriage fills my heart with new hope,” said Ruchita.

With Friday’s ceremony, the women’s shelter reached a milestone — 43 weddings have now been conducted for residents since its establishment, most of them involving women from North Karnataka districts.

As guests dispersed after a sumptuous lunch, the air still carried the sound of blessings — a celebration not just of marriage, but of dignity, resilience, and the promise of a new life.
Tags: Davanagere, women’s hostel, mass wedding, Women and Child Welfare Department, abandoned women, empowerment, Shalini, Rakshita, Ruchita.

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