They become man and wife in the embassy

 It is said that 'marriages are made in heaven'. But sometimes it can happen in embassies too. The Indian Embassy in Bahrain solemnised a 'marriage of true minds', as Shakespeare puts it, yesterday in the presence of officials, witnesses and well-wishers.

 The course of true love never did run smooth. A  marriage as per Foreign Marriage Act 1969 was  not an easy task. But 27-year-old bridegroom Samten Tamang and Sheeba Jayaraman were ready to face challenges  and tied the knot at the embassy before the Embassy Attache (consular) B.S Bisht, who was the marriage officer for the day.

Tamang works in LuLu Hypermarket in Hidd and the bride Sheeba is a staff nurse in Al Hamad Dental clinic in Manama. It was a love-cum-arranged marriage. Tamang is from Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal and Sheeba hails from Nagercoil,a town in the southernmost Indian state of Tamilnadu. The bridegroom is a Buddhist and the bride is a Christian but for them love knew no bounds.

They couldn't hide their joy as they came out of the embassy with garlands and marriage certificates in their hands. The declaration required by section 4 of the second chapter of Foreign Marriage Act 1969 was duly made at the embassy and the marriage under the act was solemnised . 

 B.S Bisht told DT News that this was the first marriage this year held in the embassy.  Marriage under this act is a little lengthy process.   At least one of the prospective bride or bridegroom must be an Indian national and a legal resident within the jurisdiction of the Consulate. Three witnesses who are Indian nationals must be physically present along with the prospective bride and bridegroom at the time of submission of notice of intended marriage. Marriage has to be solemnized within six months from the date of notice of intention of marriage presented to the marriage officer failing which the entire procedure should be repeated if the parties intend to proceed with the marriage. Three witnesses who were present at the time of submission of notice of intended marriage should be present at the time of marriage solemnization and registration. All the five persons must present their original passports at the time of marriage solemnization and registration.

As the official marriage registration over , the religious ceremonies will take place later this month at a church in Manama, the newly-wed couple told DT News.