A mass marriage ceremony was held in the Maa Dakheneswari temple in Alavar Panchayat under Balikuda block on Sunday, where as many as eight pairs tied the nuptial knot.
The Utkaliya Samuha lagnutsava Samiti organized the event aiming to curb the dowry menace and educating the people to curtail unnecessary marriage expenditure. The marriages were held in accordance with the Hindu rituals. A meeting was organised which was chaired by Samiti president Krushna Chandra Satapathy. Swami Sudhananda Saraswati attended as chief guest, accompanied by several prominent personalities.