Surat (Gujarat) [India], December 12: Every December, Surat hosts a unique wedding ceremony for fatherless daughters, organised with grandeur by the philanthropic PP Savani family. This year, on December 14 and 15, 111 daughters will leave their maternal homes to start their married lives. So far, the PP Savani family has conducted the marriages of 5,274 daughters in this distinctive group wedding event.

This unique ceremony, called “Piyariyu”, is not only about marriage but also about embracing family bonds and social responsibility. Mahesh Savani of PP Savani family has become a guardian figure for thousands of fatherless daughters, having married off 5,274 girls. Over the past decade, this social initiative has inspired many, leading to similar ceremonies in Gujarat and beyond.

This year’s grand wedding event will be held on December 14-15 at the PP Savani Chaitanya Vidya Sankul in Abrama, Surat, at 5:00 pm. Along with Gujarat, the daughters getting married this year belong to Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Among them are two hearing-impaired and two differently-abled brides, as well as two Muslim brides, representing 39 different communities. Most of the brides have lost not only their fathers but also do not have brothers.

Mahesh Savani of PP Group said, “The ceremony also aims to spread social awareness. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “One Tree for the Mother” initiative, 50,000 tulsi plants will be gifted to the brides, grooms and other participants as a gesture towards environmental conservation. These plants will also carry a tag promoting organ donation awareness.”

The eminent guests will include spiritual leader Morari Bapu and other saints, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister and State BJP President CR Patil, other political and religious leaders, dignitaries and renowned artists.

Mahesh Savani highlighted that the family not only provides gifts to the brides but also takes responsibility for their well-being post-marriage. Their organisation provides social, educational and healthcare support to the daughters and their families. In the unfortunate event of any daughter being widowed, the organisation also provides financial support and takes care of the children’s education, he said.

Unique blessings

Daughters are worshipped each year at the ceremony, but a new dimension is being added this year. While the bride will be worshipped by the in-laws, the groom will be worshipped by his mother-in-law, symbolising the welcome of daughter and son respectively into the family. This gesture is unique and probably the first time where mother-in-laws perform the aarti of daughter-in-law and son-in-law.

Honeymoon and religious tours

PP Savani family also sponsors the honeymoon of the newly married couples to Kullu-Manali. This is aimed at emphasising inter-community understanding and cultivating friendships and mutual respect among couples from different faiths and communities. Moreover, to strengthen family ties, the mothers of both the bride and groom embark on a visit to religious destinations like Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Chhapaiya after the wedding. The whole trip is sponsored by the PP Savani family.

A place in record books

The unique wedding ceremony is also expected to be included in the Golden Book of Records. Mahesh Savani is expected to be recognised as the only person to have supported and sponsored the marriage of as many as 5,274 daughters. Moreover, the distribution of more than 50,000 tulsi plants at the event will also be a new record.

Honouring the contributors

Organising a wedding ceremony of this scale requires the combined efforts of many people including mehndi artists, beauty and makeup artists, decorators, parking service providers, caterers, and many more. Similarly, after marriage, many people help the PP Savani family to ensure that the daughter continues to receive education and health services. The fancily will honour these people by accepting a symbolic debt from them.

Inauguration of PP Savani Group school in Katargam

This year’s event will also mark the inauguration of Radiant English Academy, the first PP Savani Group school in Surat’s Katargam. The school will provide high-quality education based on the PP Savani family’s values of tradition and excellence.