Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi's marriage inspires foreigners, locals to follow suit in Kullu valley

KASOL/KULLU: While Congress president Sonia Gandhi may have faced the flak from her political opponent for running the UPA government and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from behind the scenes and her Italian origin may have prevented her from occupying the top post, her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi has made her popular in some hamlets and villages of the verdant Kullu valley due to inter-racial matrimonial alliances. She may not have played the cupid but her marriage to Rajiv seems to have become a point of reference for some suitors while proposing to their would-be partners.

Bianchi Eros, 47, came to Kasol from Como in Italy about 15 years ago. He saw Ritu Kumari, then a Class XII student at a local function, while performing 'naati' (Himachali folk dance and song act) and instantly fell in love with her voice. "He would follow me from school and one day proposed to me. Though I liked him, I did not have the courage to accept his proposal fearing parents and village folks. His Italian origin and foreign culture was a big hurdle," she recalls, while sitting in her small drawing room scanning through their family album pictures.

Bianchi, however, did not give up and kept persuading her for over one year. He would follow Ritu at almost every local function where she performed. "I could make out that he was madly in love with me. One day, while I was coming back from a function, he suddenly held my hand and told 'If Sonia Gandhi can marry an Indian and live with him happily why can't I marry you?' I was convinced and so were my parents. A week later we got married," says Ritu who has been married for over 12 years now.

The couple has two children — Bianchi Alassandro Aditya, 10 and Bianchi Simone Ashutosh, 6. Ritu has visited her in-laws in Como twice. Bianchi recently went to his native place for a few weeks and is expected to return next month.

There are quite a few other foreigners, who got settled in Kullu valley, after marrying locals, though may not have proposed in a similar fashion. Rossim Antimo, 52, another Italian national, who got married to Parvati Devi of Kasol and got his marriage registered in 2012.

Official records show that more than 20 foreigners from different countries got their marriages registered with a local spouse since 2005. According to officials, number could be much higher as not all the foreigners get their marriages registered. Coming back to Ritu, she is little aware of the political affairs and has not yet decided whom she would vote for on May 7. However, she is all praise for Sonia and wants to watch her addressing a rally in Kullu on Sunday.