Bengaluru : The state Muzrai department is planning to organize free mass marriages as per Hindu customs to enable poor people and other commoners irrespective of their caste affiliations, to get married in simple ceremonies at temples.

As per the plans, annually one mass marriage would be held in select 100 ‘A’ grade temples. The government will be providing one sovereign golden ‘Mangalya’ chain to the bride, new marriage clothes to the couple, and get the marriage registered free of cost. The plan envisages conducting 1,000 marriages under the guidance of district religious council presidents and support of ministers, MPs, MLAs and other people’s representatives as well as organizations.

he temple where such ceremonies would be organized are Kukke Subrahmanya,, Kollur Mookambika, Male Mahadeshwara, Chamundeshwari among others. The cost of these marriages would be met out of the income collected at the temples. If the income is not enough to meet marriage expenses, the department plans to meet the balance.

The religious councils would be formed in all the 30 districts of the state within the next two weeks, and deputy commissioners of the respective districts will be the chairpersons of the councils.

Muzrai minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary, has instructed to hold these ceremonies on the lines of annual mass marriage programmes conducted at Dharmasthala, which are highly successful.