India: Marriage called off after groom fails ‘maths test’

Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh): This groom could have never imagined that failing a simple ‘maths test’ would make his marriage plans go awry.

The groom, all decked up, reached the wedding hall on Saturday evening with the wedding procession, but the bride, who doubted his educational qualifications, asked him to recite the two times table, before the garlands could be exchanged.

The groom failed to recite it, and the marriage was called off.

Panwari Station House Officer, Vinod Kumar, said it was an arranged marriage and the groom hailed from Dhawar village of Mahoba district.

Members of the two families and several villagers had gathered at the marriage venue. Just as the wedding was about to be solemnised, the bride walked out of the canopy saying she could not marry a person who did not know the basics of mathematics. Friends and relatives failed to convince the bride.

The bride’s cousin said that they were shocked to discover that the groom was uneducated.

“The groom’s family had kept us in the dark about his education. He may not even have gone to school. The groom’s family had cheated us. But my brave sister walked out without fearing social taboo,” she said.

The police did not lodge a case after both parties struck a compromise on the intervention of prominent citizens of the village. The deal entailed that the bride and groom’s families return gifts and jewellery.