Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Man's Best Friend?


We have all heard the “man bites dog” stories, but how about a real-life “man marries dog” tale!

This one takes the biscuit, and it could only happen in India.

It took place for real during a traditional Hindu ceremony at a temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The groom in question was a 33-year-old Indian farmer named Selvakumar, and he was wed to a female dog named Selvi. He married his four legged friend to atone for stoning two other dogs to death and stringing them up in a tree 15 years ago.

Selvakumar believed the act cursed him and he had been suffering ever since, he told the Hindustan Times. After he stoned the dogs he said his legs and hands got paralysed, he lost hearing in one ear, and his speech was impaired. With doctors unable to help him, Selvakumar turned to an astrologer who told him he was cursed by the spirits of the dogs he had killed. He could undo the curse only if he married a dog and live with it, the soothsayer warned.

Family members chose a stray female dog that was then bathed and clothed for the wedding occasion. Selvi the bride was brought to the temple by village women and a Hindu priest conducted the ceremony. The paper showed a picture of Selvakumar sitting next to his canine bride, which was adorned in an orange sari and flower garland. The paper said the groom and his family then had a feast, while the dog got a bun.

It was reported that Selvi attempted to make a bolt for it—apparently due to the big crowds—but she was tracked down and returned to her new “husband”.

I guess the story could be worse. He could have married an elephant, or giraffe, or may be a wild boar. Then again, marrying a dog? I never ceased to be amazed at how confused lost people can be—trusting in everything and everyone, but the Living God. May He grant us wisdom in how to better share the good news of salvation with them.

8 comments:

  1. Man's stupidity never ceases to amaze me. I have heard some whoppers in my time but wow! But I agree with you Steve. Wild stuff happens all the time when people lose sight of the real ONE and choose something false. But marrying a dog? She will divorce him quickly if she values her life. Then again, maybe he will treat her better than some men treat their wives.

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  2. Bill...you are such an early riser! I always look forward to getting up, turning on my computer, and knowing that you will have already visited the blog and commented!

    There is only ONE real God! And, no matter how stupid man is, God remains on His throne!

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  3. First thought.....desperate people do desperate things. Wowser!

    The people feasted while the dog got a bun. Shouldnt the dog have feasted being the groom was trying to reverse his bad behavior by going thru with such a farse?

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  4. Haf...I thought the same thing...and am curious why the dog only got the bun...she should have at least got a hot dog! Or bone!

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  5. If they fed the dog a hot dog she may have been cannibalizing. There's your morning gross out!!

    Anyway -- this is why we support GFA (Gospel for Asia) -- the lost of India. My heart breaks for those people. I wish so much that my sweet husband would cave on the adoption thing. Oh how I could love another baby/toddler/child into our family. Stories like these break me. Not because the dude married a dog -- but because of the condition of the souls in India.

    Heidi Reed

    PS: Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog, Steve. :)

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  6. Heidi, you are most welcomed...and the comment was true!

    Rick...I understand!

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  7. Heidi...eeewwwwww!!!

    Just when you think you've seen everything. Seriously, it just goes to show that people are desperate for Truth, and clearly willing to do whatever those in "authority" guide (or mis-guide) them, but they don't have REAL Truth as a resource.

    We support one of the 306 girls at the Michael Job Center for Orphan Girls in Coimbatore, India (site, info video). They are an orphanage for girls whose parents were persecuted and/or martyred for being Christian, and like Heidi, our heart broke for the fact that these girls from all over Asia were also suffering for Christ, but now they have a place to learn Truth.

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