Kangana Ranaut went on a solo-honeymoon in Queen. Now meet Kshama Bindu from Vadodara, Gujarat who’s decided to take self-care to a different level and is getting married to herself. The 24-year-old announced that she will be tying the knot to herself on June 11 with all the traditional rituals and ceremonies including pheras and sindoor application. Bindu who’s a working professional has also listed down wedding vows for herself. Not just that, she’s even planned a two-week long honeymoon in Goa following the wedding.
India’s first sologamy marriage
In an interaction with the Press Trust Of India (PTI), Bindu shared how she intends to inspire people who are tired of finding true love. Talking about her marriage will set the first precedent of sologamy in India, she said, “At one point in my life, I realised that I don't require a prince charming because I am my own queen. I want the wedding day, but not the next day. That is why I have decided to marry myself on June 11. I will dress up like a bride, take part in rituals, my friends will attend my wedding and then I will come back to my house instead of going with the groom.”
Bindu’s mother has also given a nod for the wedding and a priest has also been booked to solemnise her wedding. “I have already booked a pandit (priest) to solemnise my marriage. I have observed that unlike in the West, self-marriages are not popular in India. Hence, I have decided to start this trend and inspire others. People may not like my idea, I am confident that I am doing the right thing,” she adds.
Sologamy - the newfound way to self-care?
While a few hailed her decision, others were quick enough to comment if she’s doing it for publicity. Check out some of the reactions by netizens.
Bindu clarifies, “I just want to break stereotypes and inspire others to love themselves. There are people who are tired of finding love or getting divorced multiple times. Being a bisexual, I was also in love with a man and a woman in the past. But now, I want to give all the love to myself.”
Sologamy is illegal in India
But then is sologamy legal in India? It’s not! According to the Hindu Marriage Act, there must be two people to complete the marriage. Legal experts say, “Sologamy will never pass the legal scrutiny in India.”
Shalini Singh, founder, andwemet, a service for single urban Indians looking for a long-term relationship told us, “While self-love is important, let us talk about romantic relationships. A romantic relationship occurs between two individuals, which may be casual or committed. A casual relationship is for a shorter period of time, but a committed relationship is for the long term and can take many forms, such as marriage, domestic partnership, or companionship. Again, a couple in a committed relationship must decide whether they want to be in an open, exclusive, or discreet relationship. Those who wish to stay single should do so because not everyone wishes to be in a relationship, and this decision should be respected. As for sologamy, it has no legal recognition and at the end of the day, the individual is still single and they are celebrating their status by announcing sologamy.”
Sologamy traces back to the ’90s
However, the trend of self-marriage or autogamy might be new in India, but not abroad. Back in 1993, Linda Baker, a dental hygienist from the US refuted the norms of coupledom and married herself. This was followed by another sologamy marriage of NBA player Dennis Rodman in 1996. There’s more to sologamy marriages. According to a report published in The Indian Express, in 2021, Cris Galera, a Brazilian model, had filed a sologamy divorce within just 90 days of her marriage as she had fallen in love with someone else.