“We, Gowsalya and Sakthi, agree in front of you all, that we are life partners.” As the head office of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam reverberated with this statement, activist and anti-caste crusader Gowsalya and Parai artiste Sakthi married each other in the presence of the leaders of the Dravidian outfit, chief of the NGO Evidence, Sakthi’s family and close friends.
Reading out separate but strikingly similar vows, Gowsalya and Sakthi had a self-respect wedding as envisioned by Dravidian leader EVR Periyar Ramasamy. After reading their vows, the newlyweds also performed a Parai recital for their near and dear ones who were present at the wedding.
Vowing to stand together to annihilate caste and liberate women, Gowsalya and Sakthi promised to keep their house open for lovers, who face opposition from anybody. “We will fight together for the creation of a special act against caste killing and to make Parai, the art of the world. Lovers can come to our house in any circumstance. We promise that the doors to our house will always be open for lovers,” read their vows.
The couple also promised that their married life will be based on the principle of one for all and all for one. “We also promise to live by the words of Thiruvalluvar, who said that if being benevolent will cause loss to oneself, then that loss is worth it,” they vowed.
While Gowsalya and Sakthi declared their love for each other in unique words – with Sakthi calling Gowsalya’s love for him deep and pure, and Gowsalya promising to shower him with all the love that she has – the couple also promised to stand by each other in their professional and political journeys, that will continue to remain each of their individual project.
“Just like there is no end to my journey with the Parai, her political journey also must blossom without bounds. I promise that I will stand by her in her public life and will not be an obstacle to that in any way,” vowed Sakthi, to which Gowsalya said, “Just like my political journey has no bounds, his journey with the Parai must also blossom beyond boundaries. I promise that I will support him in his life with parai and will not, in any case, be an obstacle to it.”
They also promised to support each other’s organisations, without being a part of it – Gowsalya’s anti-caste crusade and Sakthi’s dream of making parai an art of everybody. “I am not a part of the Shankar Social Justice Foundation and will not be a part either. But I will stand by Gowsalya to make the objectives of the foundation win. I promise that I will support, guide and encourage her like a father,” Sakthi said, as Gowsalya added, “I am not a part of Nimirvu Kalaiarangam and do not intend to be a part either. But, I promise to standby Sakthi to help Nimirvu achieve all its goals and guide, advise and encourage him like a father.”
Both of them also promised to compromise with each other and not hesitate to be the first one to apologise.
“It is natural to expect him to change himself for me, but in case there are things that he cannot change, I will consider it to be a child-like trait of him and enjoy it like a mother,” promised Gowsalya, which Sakthi, too, reiterated.
The couple also promised to respect each other’s right to like something that the other person does not, and took an oath to fly behind them as their protector if they chose to fly in a different direction in the future. They also promised to maintain equality and democracy in marital life and safeguard it with responsibility.
The couple also vowed to be each other’s friend, confidant, mother, father, life partner and everything and surrender oneself to the other.
Post-wedding celebration with parai isai. pic.twitter.com/jtBLk0HNSJ
— Megha Kaveri (@meghakaveri) December 9, 2018
More power to couples like this! This was the best thing I heard today. pic.twitter.com/IkIPstRjqN
— Megha Kaveri (@meghakaveri) December 9, 2018