Post date: Dec 11, 2013 9:50:1 PM
BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (DECEMBER 11, 2013) (ANI) - Hindu couples in India lined up to tie the knot on 11/12/13, which is the last sequential date of this century, as priests predicted the day to be auspicious and 'lucky'.
Many couples had even booked banquets halls and caterers very much in advance, nearly a year back, so as to not miss out the slightest detail of a lavish wedding.
Wedding planners in New Delhi said that they were having a tough time as most of their clients were bent upon arranging their nuptials on the same day, with a strict reluctance to shift plans.Middle-aged wedding planner, Kailash Chiripal, said that at least 50 clients had approached him for reserving his farmhouse for their weddings on the particular day.
"Well, many people were after this because this is the last day of this millennium, this sequential date and initially in the last year also people were after 12/12/12, and 11/11/11 but after this there wouldn't be any date in series. So, many people were after us to give the place" said Chiripal.
For some, it was not just about numbers. The day has some religious significance as well.
The Hindu priests in central Bhopal city said that the day would turn out lucky for couples as the numbers of the date were in ascending order, symbolic of progress.
"The date 11/12/13 is in ascending order and thus regarded as a day indicating progress. Any ascending thing or date is progressive for life as well. This day will thus bring success and prosperity to the lives of people," a priest, Ramesh Pandey, said.
Not just that, the sum of all the numbers was equal to nine, which is an auspicious number in Hindu numerology as per astrologers.
Lucky or not, but some Couples preferred the day simply because it was easy to remember.
Many like the 25-year-old groom, Devank Sharma, who is a New Delhi-based businessman, believed that the date would come handy in future, too. Husbands would always remember the anniversary and there would never be any confusion in wishing their wives on the right day.
Devank said that the day would be etched in people's memory.
"As it is we were keen on getting married on a special day, so we approached our pundit and he thought why not 11/12/13, since it is the only day, which many people can remember that something happened with Devank on this day on 11/12/13," he said.
Families also said that the price of the smallest item required in a Hindu marriage hiked weeks ahead of the day, as the demand increased in direct proportion to the number of weddings taking place.
Weddings in India are grand celebrations. Families usually start saving early and end up spending millions of rupees on gold jewellery, decoration, gifts, catering and sometimes, dowry.