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| Sunday, 18 May 2003 |
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New innings for Rahul Dravid From Roshin Varghese in Bangalore Finally, vice captain of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid has begun his new innings as a married man. The popular cricketer married Vijeta Pendharkar in a very private, low key ceremony to which only the family and few close friends were invited on Sunday, May 4. After the week long celebrations the couple are expected to fly to Sri Lanka for their honeymoon away from the prying eyes of the media and fans.
The 30-year-old Dravid's request for privacy away from the paparazzi and fans was carried out scrupulously. So the wedding ceremony was held in the secluded confines of the Border Security Force campus on the outskirts of Bangalore city. With his father-in-law being a Wing Commander with the Indian Air Force and brother-in-law a major in the Indian army, the venue was blocked off as "high security zone." The marriage held on akshaya tritiya, one of the four auspicious days of the Hindu calendar was conducted following the Maharashtrian rituals in keeping with the traditions of both the grooms and bride's families. Only as few as 25 guests from the girl's family attended the ceremony. Among the few select invitees to the wedding ceremony were fellow cricketers medium pacer, Venkatesh Prasad, leg spinner Anil Kumble and Brijesh Patel, former test player and chairman of the selection committee. Shobana Bhartia, owner of the Hindustan Times newspaper from Delhi and hotelier, Lalit Suri also attended the ceremony. Dravid's nick name "The Wall" aptly fitted even the occasion of his wedding where he stonewalled all the media and kept them guessing. It was only under the persuasion of his manager Lokesh Sharma that Dravid and Vijeta even agreed to a photo call to quell the curiosity of the public. A visibly nervous Dravid came along to meet the press with his doctor wife on the lawns of Bangalore's Taj West End Hotel. In fact Vijeta, who is a general surgeon seemed more at ease with the flashing cameras and beamed a dazzling smile for all, although in truth Dravid is familiar with many of the photographers who were there. "Rahul smile please, Rahul turn this way, Rahul sit down, Rahul hold her," were instructions he had to field from the many who he has posed for as a cricketer. For Dravid has virtually lived most of his life in Bangalore, going to school and college here and many in the media have known him from his fledgling years. But he terminated the short event with a terse, "it's a special day for us, I thank you (the media) for your support (in not hounding him). You helped us make it very private and special. I expect similar cooperation for the next two days." With those words he vanished into the interiors of the hotel. The unassuming and usually modest, cricketer's only concession for his wedding dinner was his elegant silver grey sherwani, with a touch of flamboyance at the collar and swarowski crystal decorated buttons specially tailored for him in New Delhi. His wife seemed to have coordinated her grey and maroon saree to complement his outfit. The three event wedding celebration spread over the week had only one large public reception held on the Prince of Wales sprawling lawns of the West End Hotel. Under the spreading gulmohars trees lit up with festive lights and masses of red anthuriums and white orchids flown in from Bangkok the bridal pair met the Chief Minister of Karnataka, S. M. Krishna and captain of the Indian team Saurav Ganguly and head of Shara Parivar, Subrata Ray Choudhary. Among the others in the cricketing fraternity who were on hand to congratulate them, were India's youngest wicket keeper, Parthiv Patel, batsman Mohammed Kaif, and former Test players Mohinder Amarnath, Syed Kirmani and Roger Binny. Most of the Karnataka players were there including legendary bowlers, B. S. Chandrashekar and E. A. S. Prasanna. The crowds who tried hard to get a glimpse of their heroes and collect autographs were turned away. Disappointed fan, Mr. Atmaram, said "as the vice captain of the Indian team he surely doesn't expect the people to ignore his wedding. Once you have a public persona, you have to accept the inevitable, - playing to the gallery". But Mr. K. Anand begs to differ, he feels that "everybody is entitled to privacy and if Dravid didn't want the press to cover his wedding and give autographs to his well-wishers that is his prerogative." Meanwhile Dravid is expected to leave for Scotland at the end of the month for a three month stint with the Scottish National Team "I am looking forward to this opportunity of playing in Scotland, it will help me stay in touch with the game through the off season without too much of cricket." |
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