Unique ritual sees bride ride to groom in Ujjain:Spectators pause to capture scene as couple proudly follows ancestral community practice

A wedding in Ujjain on Tuesday grabbed attention as the bride arrived on horseback to deliver the wedding invitation to the groom. Hundreds gathered to witness her unique entry amid band music, a wedding procession, and celebrations along the way. Apoorva Ojha, a Class One officer at South Indian Bank in Ahmedabad and resident of Indore, married Harsh Dave of Baroda at KGC Hotel in Ujjain. Before the ‘pheres’ (wedding vows), she arrived with a decorated procession to invite her future husband, following an ancestral tradition. Bride adorned on horseback, passersby stopped to stare
Dressed in bridal attire and wearing spectacles, Apoorva Ojha sat on a mare, filling the atmosphere with excitement. For over an hour, she moved with the decorated procession, dancing and singing while on the mare. Hundreds of onlookers and passersby captured photos and videos, with many walking alongside the procession for a long distance. The bride said – Why should only boys always have fun?
Apoorva stated that this tradition has been prevalent in her community for years. She said, This is a tradition of the Shrimali community of Rajasthan, where the bride goes to the groom sitting on a horse. Why should only boys always have fun? Apoorva said- In our society, women have the opportunity to walk shoulder to shoulder with men. That’s why I decided to uphold this tradition. It was a lot of fun. Many of her friends from Indore, Bangalore, and Baroda also came to Ujjain just to witness this unique tradition. See 2 pictures Apoorva’s future husband Harsh expressed happiness at the bride’s entry and said, In our society, first the bride and then the groom sits on the horse. This is a centuries-old tradition. I am proud to uphold it. The bride arriving on horseback like this is a matter of great joy for me. ​