Thrissur: The love story of an elderly couple bloomed at an old-age home in Thrissur district of Kerala on Saturday, as 67-year-old Kochaniyan Menon and 66-year-old P V Lakshmi Ammal entered the wedlock here.
For these two inmates of the Ramavarmapuram Government old-age home in Thrissur, it is the realization of a sweet romantic journey.
Kerala's Minister of Agriculture VS Sunilkumar who attended the ceremony took to Facebook to wish the couple.
The photos of Lakshmi Ammal's mehendi ceremony on Friday had also gone viral on social media.
The tale so far
Ammal’s husband G K Krishna Iyer aka Swamy, who was a busy chef, died about 22 years ago and in his death bed asked his long-time Friday man Kochaniyan to take care of Ammal after his death.
After Swamy’s death, Ammal moved to an old-age home run by the city corporation at Ramavarmapuram near here, and Kochaniyan’s vocation as a cook took him to various places. But for one reason or the other, both Kochaniyan, hailing from Irinjalakuda, and Ammal did not express their love for each other.
Meanwhile, Kochaniyan suffered a stroke in Guruvayur and a voluntary organization based in Wayanad took him under its wings. There, Kochaniyan revealed to its officers his great fondness for Ammal.
Later, Kochaniyan was shifted to an old-age home of the Social Justice Department where Ammal was currently staying. Ammal decided to be by the side of Kochaniyan whose one hand and leg were paralyzed. Fortunately, Kochaniyan has regained partial mobility of his limbs following medical treatment.
The managing committee of the old-age home decided to solemnize the marriage of Kochaniyan and Ammal, and this year happens to be Ammal’s 50th wedding anniversary of her first marriage.
“Love should be expressed. He is not keeping good health and if I am not standing by him right now, then when,” asks Ammal.
