No power, no marriage

Rohit Khanna, a well earning man in late twenties, got shock of his life.

His in-laws called off the marriage finding the electricity crisis was far too much for their daughter to cope up with.

The marriage was set for June end and in-laws who came by to complete some pre-marriage rituals were aghast with prolonged power cuts. Rohit was told to leave Kanpur or their daughter. He could rue his fate like many others who were handed rejection not because of dowry but burgeoning electricity crisis.

It may sound bizarre but its true. After giving the harrowing experiences to the denizens, the poor power supply in the city is fast becoming a reason for parents for the refusal of their daughter's marriage with city-based groom.

In a candid chat with the Hindustan Times at the renowned marriage bureau, over half a dozen family claimed that their son's marriage was called off because of the poor electricity supply in the city.

For Ram Sewan Tiwari (name changed) a father of two, April 19 would be remembered throughout his life, as on this very day the marriage of his elder son was called off. However the reason for the dismissal of the marriage has left him amazed.

"I was left amazed by their reply (of girl's parents). The engagement ceremony was organized a couple of months back at the Pakvan Restaurant and almost everything including the venue for at-home function was also finalised. But on this very day it was all over. How could the poor power supply be the reason for their refusal," said Ram Sewan Tiwari.

This is not the only case in the city, the city prominent marriage bureau are flooded with such cases in which the parents of daughters do not want to get their daughters married in the city.

"Almost every groom seekers are concern for the comfort of their daughters moreover it is the top priority. But the poor electricity distribution scenario in the city has sketched a bad image of Kanpur as compared to other cities. Thus the seekers are avoiding city based grooms for the purpose," said a director of the renowned marriage bureau unofficially.

In recent past the city is suffering from unabated power roistering. The roistering has been increased up to such an extent at presently the city is being subjected to the roistering of around 15 hours day, adding to the woes of the citizens. Probably for the first time, we came across such weird cause behind the refusal for marriage, he added.