The Impossible Wedding: Karma Yoga in Its Rawest Form

My mother was diagnosed with cancer—a deadly variant. Doctors said treatment had to begin immediately. My marriage was scheduled three months later. The doctor was blunt: "Advance the wedding. Do it in two weeks."

A South Indian wedding in two weeks is considered impossible. But my brother—my backbone—and I accepted the situation immediately. While others took days to process it—there was shock, crying, resistance, and drama—we took the first step. And then the next. Within four days, everything fell into place. Looking back, it still feels unreal.

ACTION WITHOUT INNER RESISTANCE

There was a severe water crisis at the time. And I felt that even this wedding should serve something larger than us. So we used it as a platform. We spoke about Save Soil and Cauvery Calling. I communicated the message through mimicry. We donated nearly 1000 tree saplings—red sandalwood, sandalwood, and teak—not symbolically, but with long-term livelihood value for farmers.

And in a deeply distracted digital world, I wanted people to return to reading—even one page a day. So we gifted three Swami Vivekananda books to each family, covering around 350 families.

None of this was planned. It simply happened—because action was required, and there was no inner resistance.

THE TEMPLE MARRIAGE — SURRENDER, NOT STRATEGY

Long before all this, I had one quiet wish. I wanted to get married in a temple. Growing up in a middle-class family where every rupee mattered—and later earning well—I had seen the cost of weddings on families. Marriage had become a social obligation. People went into debt, sold agricultural land, and carried financial burden long after the wedding.

Even though I could afford a grand wedding, I wanted to break this pattern. Not as a statement—but in the hope that someone might imitate it. My brother tried to support this idea—but no one listened. I remained adamant. Eventually, a marriage hall was booked. At that point, I let go and said: "Krishna, I tried my best. If this is what you want, I will accept."

Then life intervened. Because of my mother's condition and the short notice, no marriage halls were available. Instead, we found a beautiful hilltop temple, which also happened to be a shooting location. Around 700 people attended the wedding. No Reception. Just the Marriage.

I also never wanted a reception. Most people attend receptions for formality and photographs. Very few come to witness the tying of the knot—the core of the marriage. When I said I didn't want a reception, people laughed. But because of the situation, there was no reception. And what I had quietly wished for—without force, argument, or rebellion—simply happened.

WHAT THESE TOOLS TAUGHT ME

Through illness, uncertainty, and responsibility, one thing became undeniable. Following basic yogic lifestyle practices and classical tools brought tangible transformation. My mother recovered from cancer. Today, she practices nearly an hour of yoga daily.

What these tools can do is far beyond articulation. They don't change life circumstances. They change how life is lived.