One bride in Mahoba, India called off her wedding upon discovering that the groom could not recite the multiples of two, reports Tribune India.
According to the outlet, “The groom … reached the wedding hall on Saturday evening with his ‘baraat’ but the bride, who was suspicious of his educational qualifications, asked him to recite table of 2, before the garlands could be exchanged.”
The baraat is the ceremonial procession of the groom’s side towards the wedding venue, shares The Knot. The groom is seated on a decorated horse and he leads the congregation of his friends and family—who are all dancing, singing and celebrating— on a walk from his home to the venue.
Once the groom’s procession, or baraat, arrives at the ceremony, the groom’s side and the bride’s side exchange greetings, and the groom proceeds to join the bride on the altar, known as the mandap. The bride and groom then exchange garlands, which signal the start of the wedding rituals.
But before this bride could begin her nuptials, she needed to know one thing: was her groom telling the truth about his education? So, on the altar, in front of all their guests, the bride tested the groom’s basic math skills.
The groom’s failure made it clear to the bride that the groom and his family had lied about his education. Disappointed, she walked off the mandap and called off the wedding, says Times Now News. The guests were shocked.
Multiple reports state that her family members tried to dissuade her from walking away; however, she was firm in her decision that she could not marry someone who doesn’t know basic math.
“The groom’s family had kept us in the dark about his education. He may not have even gone to school,” a cousin of the bride told Tribune India. “The groom’s family had cheated us. But my brave sister walked out without fearing social taboo.”
The marriage was arranged, but Tribune India reports that the two families reached a compromise and agreed to return the wedding gifts.
