‘There was no band bajaa, guests were served only pedha’: MP Supriya Sule reminisces about her marriage
Baramati MP and daughter of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar reminisced about her marriage to Sadanand Sule three decades ago, while commenting on the exorbitant expenses that are done on marriage functions by families who often end up spending more than their financial ability. Sule is presently touring areas in her constituency in Maharashtra.
Sule, while speaking at a public event held at a village in Indapur taluka of Pune district, recalled that her marriage was done with simplicity without any of the ostentations associated with the fat weddings that are common in politicians’ families.
“My daughter’s marriage will be simple. In my marriage, my father did not burst crackers. There were no fancy dresses or flowery decorations and band baaja. In fact, there was no wedding feast. Those who attended it will recall that the participant was given one pedha. Just one pedha. Had you seen the marriage invitation, you would have laughed,” Sule said.
Sule remarked that public representatives must act responsibly as people follow their example. “I am not opposed to extravagant marriage functions, they also generate work for different sections of society. But it should not become a norm. There should be no pressure on people to spend exorbitantly on marriages. The amount of money spent in the marriage should not be linked to the status,” said Sule.
Although Supriya’s marriage with Sadanand on March 4, 1991, was planned to display austerity it was no low-key event. The then prime minister Chandra Shekhar, and Congress leader and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi attended the event in Baramati. In the lead-up to the event, Pawar himself had toured 54 villages in his constituency to distribute invites requesting people not to bring any gifts. Apparently, over one lakh guests had turned up for the marriage and five tonnes of ‘pedhas’ were distributed at the event.
At the time of the marriage, Supriya was 21 and Sadanand was 26. Sadanand’s father Bhalchandra Sule was a former managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra and mother Shashi Bhatt, a badminton player.
