Resolute in the face of a massive tragedy, the Mhaske family lost clothes, jewellery and cash in the inferno, but managed to go ahead with their son’s scheduled wedding
The only silver lining to the inferno that burnt down over 2,000 houses in Damu Nagar vicinity of Kandivli was the marriage of Kishor Mhaske that went ahead despite unimaginable hardships and one of the biggest tragedies the family had ever faced.
Read Story: Family preparing for son's wedding left picking up the pieces
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Despite losing everything to the Kandivili inferno, Kishor Mhaske took his wedding vows the next day with Kavita. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi
Yesterday, mid-day had reported on how the family which had scheduled the marriage of their youngest son, lost everything — clothes, jewellery, and cash. But the family had said that they would go ahead with the wedding as planned. Kishor, left with nothing but a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, bought everything overnight.
The jewellery of the bride, Kavita, was delivered to the wedding hall on Tuesday, moments before the marriage. The only grouse the family had was that Shantabai, mother of the groom, couldn’t attend the wedding of her only son since she had to stay back at the blast site to assist the survey officials with the necessary information.
Over 100 relatives of the family, who came from Jalna to attend the wedding, not only slept at the site of the fire, but also chipped in financially to help the family.
Read Story: Help pours in as families recover from losses
“People prepare for a wedding for months, we had only 24 hours. Kishor, who was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, had lost his clothes in the fire and we had to buy new clothes for him on Monday night. Even the bride Kavita’s family, who supported us unconditionally, contributed heavily. So what if we lost everything, the wedding was scheduled to take place on Tuesday and we ensured that it goes through despite the hardships,” said Sudam Mungalgekar, Kishor’s maternal uncle.
The relatives who had come on Monday from Jalna said that they slept in the burnt-down house because they came to support the family and wanted to show that they are with them in spite of the tragedy. The family members attended the wedding, and also came back to support the family in Damu Nagar to ask if any further help was needed.
At the same time, the bride’s family met a local jewellery shop owner and placed overnight orders for essential items like bangles, mangalsutra and rings, which were delivered on the day of the wedding to the hall.
Also Read: 2,000 families left homeless
“I gave them my blessings and came back to our house. Though nothing was left, we didn't know when the forest and police officials would come. We have been preparing for the wedding since months but my only grief will be that I couldn’t attend my own son’s wedding. But we are happy that he got married in spite of this big tragedy,” said Shantabai.
Post the wedding the couple went to another house of a relative who also stays in Kandivli, since they couldn't come back to their own house. But Kishor said that once the house is rebuilt, he would come back with his wife since it’s his home.
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