Uttarakhand Has A ‘Trump Card’ For Attracting Destination Weddings — The Temple Where Shiva And Parvati Got Married

Five years ago, Shashi Bahuguna Raturi, a resident of Rudraprayag district recorded traditional auspicious musical pieces with other women from her village.

The 'maangal geets' are a staple composition offered as an invocation to the devas, Ganesha and Narayan, to begin with. In these songs, the devas are invoked and requested to be present at the prevailing occasion over sweet choral insistence of female voices.

Also known as 'namakwali' for her ardent participation in the preservation of the traditional Uttarakhandi salt-making process, Raturi would embark on another creative journey seeded in the Kedar region, with her son Navendu.

Together, the mother and son started 'Pingli Pithai' — beginning their journey as entrepreneurs, encouraging the Vedic celebration of weddings in all elements of the Garhwali tradition.

In 2017, Navendu Raturi made a video on the Triyuginarayan Temple and the Vedic marriage rituals held at the vivah mandap at the temple. The video gained popularity on social media. As awareness on the temple and the scope of destination weddings grew, he got the opportunity to host a series of weddings. 

Raturi says, "Village empowerment would become a direct outcome of the awareness created by the video and our arranging of weddings in the temple. Local women would sing the auspicious folk songs. They would even cook. Musical instruments played by men would become a permanent feature of the weddings held at the Triyuginarayan Mandir, just as they are today." 

Destination Uttarakhand — Modi’s Vision 

Recently, one of the richest families of India, headed by Mukesh Ambani, chose their emotional and financial home, Jamnagar in Gujarat, for the pre-wedding celebrations of the wedding of their younger son.

The Gujarati promoting the home-coming of wedding celebrations and wedding destinations, however, is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

In 2023, PM Modi called for ‘Wed in India’. Fascinatingly, he would link faith, devotion, marriage, rituals, development and infrastructural readiness, all wrapped around the idea of localising destination weddings.

Speaking at the Uttarakhand Investors' Summit held in Dehradun in December 2023, PM Modi mentioned the need and importance of turning to and encouraging Indian destinations for weddings at temples.

PM Modi said that it is believed that couples are made through divine intervention. His next remark was on a lighter note but loaded in purpose.

He said: "Main samajh nahin paa raha hoon, jode jab Ishwar banaa raha hai, to joda apne jeevan ki yatra us ishwar ke charanao mein aane ke bajaaye, videsh mein jaa kar ke kyon karta hai?"

In Dehradun, PM Modi not only called for a movement "Wed in India" — "shaadi Hindustan mein karo", but he also mentioned that every family that can invest in, and afford, a destination wedding should aim at visiting Uttarakhand for at least one destination in the coming five years. 

He added that if 5,000 destination weddings took place in Uttarakhand within a year, new infrastructure would come up in the state and Uttarakhand will establish itself as a global wedding destination. 

The 'Wed In India' announcement at an investment summit is significant for Uttarakhand, especially in light of PM Modi's pledge to prioritise the state's development during the 2022 state assembly election campaign. 

Prompted thus, the Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee is working on a 2025 deadline for the completion of the work at the Triyuginarayan and the Omkareshwar Mandir (also known for being the holy abode where the marriage of Usha-Anirudhh was held).

The Celebration And Vishnu’s Abode 

Winter rains in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapyarag district can seem unflattering to any bride-to-be. Particularly when she hails from another state.

However, when the bride-to-be is an ardent devotee of Parvati and Shiva, even high-altitude winter rains — in a geography believed to be Parvati’s own parental home — appear to be auspicious divine intervention. 

The bride-to-be is on pilgrimage for her own 'destination wedding' at the Triyuginarayan Mandir in Rudraprayag district. Her home is in Ujjain. Her destination is the Triyuginarayan village.  

Witnessing her Vedic wedding would be the sacred fire that manifests itself, in the devotee’s belief, as the same sacred fire that witnessed the 'vivah' of Shiva and Parvati. 

The wedding party from Ujjain would eventually find a local host in Navendu Raturi, a destination wedding planner. He would take care of all their needs, hospitality and arrangements for the temple-wedding itself. The pre-wedding functions would be held at their place of stay in the village. 

From the holy city of Mahakaal to a temple destination en route to the Kedar Valley, the 60-member group chose rituals over a big budget event.

They chose the sound of the temple bells over a DJ; the sound of traditional musical instruments of Uttarakhand over Bollywood songs; traditional Uttarakhandi food instead of an Italian-Chinese mishmash on the plate. Above all, they chose a temple dedicated to Vishnu who himself was a witness to the Shiva-Parvati kalyanam. 

The wedding is well-timed. It would wrap up much ahead of the closing of a 'wedding-window' at the Triyuginarayan Mandir where the 'vivah mandap' is open for the Vedic marriage rituals — between November and April. It is the period when the holy 'kapaats' of the Kedarnath Mandir remain closed. 

The ‘Wedding Window’ And Transformation 

It is this 'wedding window' that the Badri Kedar Mandir Samiti is now focussing on to pitch the region as the destination-wedding chapter of Uttarakhand. 

From a distance, the shikhara of this temple dedicated to Vishnu seems to pierce the clouds in the background, as if keeping them paused and the vivah mandap warm with the ritualistic fires. 

Ajendra Ajay, the Sri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee’s chairman, told this author that efforts for rejuvenation and renovation at the two temples will be undertaken over three phases.

He said, "The first phase focusses on the design and detailed project report on the infrastructure at the Triyuginarayan Mandir. There is a 'gadhera' (a water passage) at the back of the temple. It needs infrastructural interventions. An administrative block and a hall will be constructed at the temple."

According to Ajay, the demeanour of the reconstruction work will be shaped keeping the local and traditional aesthetics central.

A prestigious media-house based in a southern state has contributed funds to the expansion and reconstruction work at the Omkareshwar Mandir in Ukhimath.

In 2023, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the publication and the Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee. According to Ajay, work at the Omkareshwar Mandir will cost Rs 470.39 lakh. The development of the facade of the temple, temple plaza and the administrative building will be part of the first phase at the Omkareshwar Mandir. 

Ajay added, "In the second phase, the expansion of the Usha Aniruddh Mandir complex and the renovation and rejuvenation of the Kotha Bhawan, and the vivah mandap will be done. The third phase will include work related to beautification and the construction of the parking lot at the temple."

Discipline In Devotion

The Badri-Kedar Mandir Committee has drawn a list of rules, Do’s and Don’ts for weddings to be held at the two temples. For this, it has taken inspiration from the 'niyamaavali' followed at Shantikunj Haridwar. 

Locals do their own bit to maintain decorum. For all weddings held at the vivaha mandap of the Triyuginarayan Mandir, the pre-wedding functions, as a rule, are held at the place of the stay of the wedding party that ranges from 30-50 people, and the wedding rituals take place at the temple's vivah mandap.

"We do not support the involvement of DJs. We do not support the use of drinks at the weddings. We do not encourage the attendance of a total of more than 50 people in the wedding party. The wedding party we are currently working for has 60 people despite our advice against it and now they feel that we made sense," Raturi added.

The Raturis visibly showcase and preserve Uttarakhandi culture in as many elements as possible or accepted by the bride and groom and their families.

Food is largely local and it is one of the prime pieces of advice to their clients. "When we began destination-wedding arrangements, we would insist on serving traditional local food. We continue to do it. It ensures authenticity, taste and quality. Food is served on pattals (leaves designed for serving food)," says Navendu Raturi.

With the involvement of the Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, the region's wedding destination appeal is set to rise. Homestays, hotels, and dharamshalas will align with expected hospitality standards, offering accommodations to suit varying budgets.

According to the locals involved in making arrangements for these destination weddings, many couples getting married at the Triyuginarayan Mandir come from the southern states, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.

One must note these states are abodes to either a 'shaktipeeth' or a 'jyotirlinga' or both. Yet, couples embark on a journey to the Triyuginarayan Mandir for their memorable milestone. 

Proactive State Government Participation Required

The state government must expand the role of women in encouraging Ukhimath and Triyuginarayan as wedding destinations. These roles must go beyond the essential singing of the maangal geet.

From cooking, to the arranging and installing of auspicious elements to building a cultural connection to village sensitivity — all should be covered by women of the villages.

Villagers, according to Raturi, have divided opinion on becoming wedding destinations. Some are rightly concerned about the decorum-related issues that have popped up in the past. With the suggested rules and regulations from the Badri Kedar Mandir Samiti, several of these concerns are expected to be addressed.

Waste management is one of the core issues facing the wedding destination industry. In 2019, a high-profile wedding in Auli made news for the waste dump it left behind.

Arrangement of flowers for the wedding is full of challenges. Flowers are ordered and transported from Dehradun and Rishikesh. By the time they reach the destination, they lose freshness.

Sometimes, flowers are fetched from Rudraprayag markets but the demand and supply is uneven. Efforts are needed to encourage soil-friendly horticulture within the valley itself.

The use of drones, 'DJ', fire crackers and brass band will not be allowed as per the norms being suggested. The success and use of traditional deep daan, the lighting of oil lamps and local musical instruments will play a part in winding up festivities during the day itself and blend with local aesthetics and living.

Dehradun-based photographer and filmmaker Vinay Topal makes two valuable observations from his experience over shooting assignments related to weddings. 

One: he believes that the completion of the wedding rituals at a temple gives the couple a meaningful 'recall value' associated with the temple — as a centre of worship.

"Getting married at a place of worship gives the couple a reason to revisit the 'venue' out of devotion. There is an emotional recall to the temple, pilgrimage and the journeys taken after marriage. They do not find the same recall value in any other venue."

Two: according to Topal, many wedding-shoot queries and assignments related to Triyuginarayan suggest that not all couples or their families are rich. They are driven by their devotion for Shiv and Parvati and devotion in general.

He says, "They are mostly people who come for aastha and many times don't even hire a cameraman. Many have a very tight budget for the destination wedding, as evident from their queries, yet their belief in Shiv and Parvati and the Triyuginarayan Mandir is assuring. They stay at nearby dharmshalas, but ensure that their spiritual purpose is met."

According to Topal, the number of couples travelling from other states or outside India, wanting to travel to Triyuginarayan Mandir for their wedding exceeds those from Uttarakhand.

"Interestingly, those who can afford luxury weddings, too, are seen showing interest in destination weddings at the Triyuginarayan Mandir."

That they can prefer to travel to a temple when they actually can afford a luxury wedding perhaps indicates a possibility in shift.

Last year, Topal was in the temple shooting a wedding assignment, one of the 16-17 odd assignments of destination weddings he has covered during a period of two years.

Pooja and Avnish — the bride and groom told him that the thought about getting married at the Triyuginarayan Mandir came to them during their previous visit to Rudraprayag district for pilgrimage in the Kedar region.

The pre-wedding festivities took place in Mumbai and the couple travelled all the way from Mumbai for their wedding rituals. "They were residing abroad. I was fascinated by how they travelled all the way to Uttarakhand for their wedding rituals. When their pheras were taking place at the Triyuginarayan Mandir, one could visualise their meaningful journey together."

"Currently, people do know about the temple wedding destinations in Uttarakhand, however, the awareness needs to expand. People approach us with several queries regarding logistics and material inputs required for the wedding. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam is capable of handling these logistics including food," he adds.

If the state government carries out this socio-cultural assignment well, it will give pilgrimage-centred tourism the ability to not just transform lives but also provide devotees an opportunity to emulate the actions of their gods.