There has been widespread shock after a bride died of a heart-attack on her wedding day, but instead of the festivities being cancelled, her sister married the groom instead.
The incident happened in Etawah City in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The initial bride, Surbhi, collapsed suddenly as she took part in the Hindu wedding ceremony with husband-to-be Manjesh Kumar. While medics were called to the scene, it was revealed that the wife had tragically died of a sudden and unexpected heart-attack.
Instead of the wedding being cancelled, both the family of the groom and the family of the bride decided that the deceased woman's sister, Nisha, would marry the groom instead. The wedding ceremony was then carried out and the couple were married. As the wedding ceremony took place, the dead woman lay in a nearby room awaiting a Hindu ceremonial cremation.
A family member said it was a 'tough call' to carry on with the wedding.
Surbhi's brother Saurabh told the Daily Mail:
"It's hard to believe a dead body was in the other room — and a bride was being prepared in next one. 'We did not know what to do in the situation. Both the families sat together and someone suggested that my younger sister Nisha should be married to the groom. The families discussed the matter and both agreed."
The brother of the deceased woman and the new bride, said of the family's mother:
"Mummy is in a lot of pain. She calls for her day in and day out as she was the eldest daughter. She had dreamed of doing wonders in her life. May she rest in peace."
While an uncle added:
"One daughter lay dead in one room and the wedding of another daughter was being solemnized in the other room. We have never witnessed such mixed emotions. The grief over her death and the happiness of the wedding has yet to sink in."
Many marriages in India are arranged marriages that cost vast sums of money. It is thought that the second wedding may have took place as the family may not have been able to afford another wedding for their unmarried daughter in the future.
[h/t: Daily Mail]
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