THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Namo Buddhaya!
I am happy to share that I had the honour of presiding over the Buddhist wedding of my student, Dhammaratna Bharathi, a Dhammamitra of the Triratna Boudha Mahasangha. The marriage was solemnised on 28 January 2026 at Novotel Hotel, OMR, Chennai.
Dhammaratna has been associated with me since 2008, from the time he was just 10 years old, and he now leads Buddha Constructions in Chennai. His elder brother and the entire family have actively participated in our Buddhist activities over the years and have consistently contributed to the welfare of the local community.
I was deeply moved to see that the wedding gifts consisted of copies of the Indian Constitution, which were distributed to all the guests. The ceremony was further enriched when the bride embraced Buddhism by taking the Three Refuges, formally converting from Christianity. As an expression of reverence, the couple first sought my blessings, acknowledging my role as their teacher for more than 18 years, and only thereafter received blessings from their parents. This gesture was especially touching for me.
I was also pleased to meet Dhammaratna’s elder brother Parithi Siddharth and his wife Sneha from Karnataka, whose Buddhist wedding I had presided over last year. Their inter-regional Buddhist marriage and their happy life together in Chennai was heartening to witness once again. It was equally joyful to meet their uncle Venkatesh and aunt Akila, who are also Dhammamitras of TBM.
