‘We Chose Each Other’: Bihar Women Defy Norms, Marry in Temple Ceremony

Bettiah/Patna: In a quiet village in Bihar’s West Champaran district, a love story is challenging long-held traditions and igniting conversations about identity, choice, and the changing contours of rural society.

Rekha Kumari and Priyanka Kumari, both in their early twenties, defied social conventions to marry each other at a local temple in Ahirauli village, Dumri Panchayat of Yogapatti block. The couple, who are related by family — Priyanka is Rekha’s sister-in-law’s sister — exchanged vows in a private ceremony that has now gone viral on social media.

In widely circulated videos, Rekha is seen applying sindoor in Priyanka’s hair parting — a traditional symbol of Hindu marriage — while the two confidently acknowledge their bond, smiling and posing together.

According to locals, the women had grown emotionally close over the past five months, with frequent visits and late conversations gradually turning their relationship into a romantic one. “We’ve chosen each other and are ready to face whatever comes,” Rekha reportedly told neighbours, after bringing Priyanka home following the ceremony.

Families Refuse to Accept the Union

The couple’s declaration of love has not gone down well with their families. Rekha’s relatives refused to accept the marriage and have asked her to reconsider. Priyanka’s family is also reportedly pressuring her to return home. However, both women remain firm in their decision to live together, citing their right to love and live freely.

“Our relationship is not about defiance, it’s about commitment,” one of them is heard saying in the videos. “We are not afraid of society’s judgement.”

A Village Divided

The incident has divided opinion across Bettiah district. While some residents see the marriage as a bold assertion of personal freedom in a deeply conservative society, others are calling it an affront to tradition and social values.

“It’s not just a personal decision. It’s a cultural challenge,” said a local community elder, who expressed concern about the precedent it might set.

But younger voices in the village are more supportive. “It’s their life,” said a college student from the area. “We talk about rights and equality — this is what it looks like when people actually exercise them.”

A Growing Assertion of Identity

Although same-sex relationships are not illegal in India — homosexuality was decriminalised by the Supreme Court in 2018 — same-sex marriages are not yet legally recognised. Still, stories like Rekha and Priyanka’s reflect a growing visibility and assertion of queer identities, even in small-town and rural India, where taboos remain entrenched.