Having parted as young lovers, Karnataka couple reunites 35 years later

It’s been said that all you need is love. Indeed, even after 35 years, this couple has proved that real love endures. Jayamma and Chikkanna of Devaramuddanahalli hamlet in Hassan district, Karnataka, were separated when they were young because of their parents, who were opposed to their marriage.

They had met as children in the same hamlet and had fallen in love. Despite the fact that both families knew one another well, Jayamma’s parents were insistent that their daughter not marry a construction labourer, Chikkana. They then married her off to a man of their choosing. Jayamma and her husband remained to reside in the same village after their marriage. Chikkanna, unable to endure the loss, relocated to Metagalli, a hamlet near Mysore, where he continued to work as a labourer and opted not to remarry.

Chikkanna used to acquire information about Jayamma’s location and life events via common acquaintances and family, but they had never met. Jayamma was likewise dissatisfied with her marriage. She had given birth to a boy and continued to carry out her responsibilities as a wife and mother. Her spouse abandoned her and moved out of the house after years of animosity. Later, Jayamma moved to Mysore to be with her son. Chikkanna decided to contact Jayamma after learning about these events in her life. The pair renewed their long-dormant relationship and decided to get married to each other this time.

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‘She was always in my thoughts. For whatever reasons we couldn’t unite then, we decided to start our lives together until the end. At least in our final years, we can be with each other just like how we used to dream once’, Chikkanna said.

Jayamma’s son is 25 years old and works for the Mysore state transportation department. He doesn’t seem to be aware of his mother’s wedding. The pair intended to keep everything under wraps. ‘By next year our son will get married. We will reveal our relationship after that’, said Chikkanna. He already considers Jayamma’s son to be his own.

However, the news of their wedding quickly went viral. During the wedding procedures at Sri Cheluva Narayana Swamy Temple in Melukote, four relatives from Chikkanna’s side were present. The bride and groom wore vibrant colours and were adorned with flower garlands. Chikkanna chose a white outfit for their long-awaited big day, while Jayamma wore a green sari with a moggina jade (floral braid).