Villagers unite to celebrate orphan girl’s wedding in Anakapalli

In a heartwarming gesture, the villagers of Chinapachila in Ravikamatham mandal in Anakapalli district united to organise the wedding of K. Koteswari (21) from a poor background. The residents did not just contribute as well-wishers, they stepped into the role as the bride’s family, performing every ritual, raising funds, and gathering donations to ensure she had everything needed to begin her new life with dignity and joy.

Ms. Koteswari lost her parents and grandparents at a very young age and lives with her sister. Both sisters have been surviving by doing small labour jobs. During her work, Koteswari met Nagesh, who works as a driver from Madugula. Recently, Nagesh approached her relatives expressed his wish to marry her.

Though Koteswari’s relatives did not oppose the marriage, they informed the groom’s family that they did not have the huge financial capacity to arrange a proper wedding. Still, they finalised the wedding for November 27 and chose Annavaram as the venue, hoping to do their best within their limited means. What happened next felt nothing short of a miracle for Koteswari.

When the villagers learned about her situation, they organised a meeting to discuss how they could support her. The locals who were well aware of her kindness and character, decided that her wedding should be celebrated beautifully.

“We know Koteswari for many years. She is a sweet girl. When we heard about the struggles she was facing, we immediately began planning how to stand by her. From ‘Pandiri Reta’, the very first ritual which is done at the beginning of the wedding, to the final ceremony, we all came together as one family. We wanted her to feel loved, supported, and never alone,” said M. Chandrakala, a homemaker from the village.

Local youth and Jana Sena Party (JSP) activist M. Raju, upon learning about the issue, passed on the message to fellow youth.

“We met the girl personally and asked her what she needed to start her married life. She requested a few essential household items. We immediately began collecting contributions from villagers. From small kitchen utensils to a storage unit, a sofa, a washing machine, and several other necessities, everything was arranged for her,” said Mr. Raju.

He adds, “All we wanted was to send Koteswari into her new life just like we would send our own daughter or sister. She was overwhelmed and the groom’s family too was surprised to witness the affection shown by our entire village.”