In a heartwarming tale that defies the calendar, a 75-year-old widower tied the knot with a 45-year-old divorcee in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur, just a day before Karva Chauth.
The couple’s whirlwind love story, sealed with seven sacred vows on Thursday night, has the entire neighbourhood buzzing with joy and astonishment.
On the festival day itself, the new bride fasted from dawn until moonrise for her elderly husband’s long life, turning heads and melting hearts.
Dadu Ram Gandharv, a daily wage labourer from Chingrajpara’s Atal Awas area in Sarakonda, first locked eyes with Aarti Trivedi, a local resident, a couple of years ago. Instantly, a deep bond formed between them, compelling them to dedicate their remaining years to each other. “We decided to make the most of the life we have left,” Aarti shared with a shy smile, her eyes twinkling with fresh marital bliss.
Both bring their chapters of hardship to this union. Dadu lost his first wife several years back, while Aarti’s 1993 marriage crumbled a decade ago amid her ex-husband’s alcoholism and abuse. A mother of two — a married daughter and a son still with his father — she had been navigating life solo until Dadu’s gentle affection won her over. “Love knows no age; it just happens,” she added.
The wedding was a neighbourhood spectacle, with residents doubling as revellers, complete with dhol beats, dances, and garlands. “It was like a festival within a festival — everyone cheered for their happiness,” recalled a local.
As Aarti broke her fast under the silvery moon, gazing at Dadu, the couple’s story serves as a reminder that true companionship can blossom at any twilight hour, proving romance is timeless.
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