MB#3 𝙑𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙝𝙖 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙮𝙖𝙗𝙙𝙞: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙑𝙤𝙬𝙨.

[MemoirBlogthon#3] In 2008, the author's parents celebrated their Vivaha Shastyabdi, marking their 60th wedding anniversary. This Hindu ceremony, resembling a vow renewal, highlighted their devotion and family bonds. The memoir conveys the celebration's emotional significance, including the reenactment of their wedding and the impactful Pada Pooja performed by their children, serving as a profound example of marital and familial commitment for the community.

On March 2, 2008, as an extension of my father's 82nd birthday celebration, we honored my parents, Shri S.S.Sastry and Smt. S. Sitaratnam, by celebrating their Vivaha Shastyabdi—the completion of 60 years of married life.

This celebration, also known as Sashti Aapda Poorthi, is a Hindu ceremony akin to a diamond anniversary and the renewal of marital vows. It signifies the best phase of the couple's life, having successfully devoted themselves to the service of God and built and maintained strong family ties through six decades of constant relationship.

MB#3: 60 Years of Togetherness: Honoring the Vivaha Shastyabdi.

Reenacting the Vows

Vivaha Shastyabdi is typically organized by the couple's children, younger siblings, and grandchildren and involves reenacting parts of the original wedding ceremony. The event served as an ideal example of enduring devotion for our family and society. Elders who had already celebrated such milestones gave the couple their blessings, and in turn, the celebrating couple blessed all the younger attendees.

Attendees felt privileged to witness this unique event. Smt. Jyothi G (Archana), a well-wisher, expressed profound emotion, recalling, "We all appreciated the manner in which their children performed 'Pada Pooja.'" This ritual, where all children worship the parents' feet, profoundly emphasized the respect and gratitude due to the couple.

The Contrast and The Legacy

The crucial contrast was the meticulous documentation of their life, published in the welcome kit's booklet, "Susarla Phasruthi" (The fruit of the Susarla family tree). Pages were dedicated to their wedding date (August 13, 1946, midnight), the concept of the Vivaha Shastyabdi, and the Susarla family tree, turning a one-day event into a recorded history.

The emotional 'why' behind this story is the necessity of honoring the institution of marriage. This celebration provided a profound opportunity to set a moral and familial example, demonstrating the maintenance of strong family ties through constant effort and devotion.

MB#3: Quiz

MB#3: Question: The Vivaha Shastyabdi is the traditional Hindu ceremony celebrating which specific wedding anniversary?

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• A. 25th (Silver).
• B. 50th (Golden).
• C. 60th (Diamond).
• D. 75th (Platinum).

MB#3: Quote

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." – Mignon McLaughlin