Bride finds groom `too dark`, refuses to marry

Lucknow: In a bizarre incident, a bride in Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh refused to marry, saying the groom was too dark-complexioned. The incident took place in Fursatganj, about 80 km from the state capital, on Thursday.

The bride`s family and other villagers gathered for the wedding were shocked by the woman`s response, on seeing the man she was to marry for the first time. According to information available, the `baraat` had come from Naseerabad Jamalpur Harayyiya village; all was well till the bride laid eyes on the groom just before the `phere`. Just as the wedding was about to be solemnised, the bride threw a tantrum, saying she would not go ahead with the marriage as the groom was too dark to match her beauty. The bride`s family tried to persuade her into going ahead with the ceremony, but she would have none of it and walked out of the `mandap` in a huff. Fearing strong reactions from the bridegroom`s relatives and friends, local villagers called the police. There was precious little policemen could do, as it was a domestic matter. With no resolution for the "dark" conundrum, the groom beat a hasty retreat without solemnising the marriage. IANS