Kannur: In Kerala, weddings are a symphony of precision — sacred chants, auspicious timings, and every relative in their rightful place. But on a balmy Tuesday, Google Maps, that modern oracle, nearly unravelled a carefully orchestrated union between a groom from Thiruvananthapuram and a bride from Kannur. A single misfired location pin, courtesy of a careless relative, sent the groom on a 70-km detour, turning a sacred ceremony into a comedy of errors -- two temples, one fretful bride, and a groom who showed up three hours late, but still in time for the vows.

The groom and his entourage of family and friends had set out on a 430-km journey from Thiruvananthapuram. Their destination, as communicated by the bride’s family, was the temple at Keezhur, where the wedding was to be held at the auspicious muhurtham of 10.30 am.

As the time approached, the bride’s family made several anxious calls. The groom’s relatives — guided by the trusty blue dot of Google Maps — assured them they would arrive on time.

Right on the dot, the wedding convoy pulled up at Sree Kizhur Mahashivakshethram in Kizhur, Payyoli, near Vadakara in Kozhikode district.

The temple stood majestic, its laterite stone walls glowing in the morning sun. But as the groom’s party stepped into the courtyard, they realised something was off: no bride, no bustling relatives, no hum of wedding chatter.

They called the bride’s family: "We’re here!"
The reply came back, equally confident: "So are we!"

A flurry of calls followed, each side insisting they were at the temple. It took a few minutes before the groom’s side realised they had been led astray by Google Maps -- and had landed in the wrong Kizhur.

The bride was waiting nearly 70 km away at the Mahavishnu Temple at Keezhur in Kannur's Iritty, near her family home. With the muhurtham slipping away, tension mounted.

The bride, visibly distressed, was comforted by chief priest Surendran Namboothiri and other temple staff, who reassured her that a special muhurtham wasn't strictly necessary -- the wedding could go ahead whenever the groom arrived.

At 1.30 pm, the groom finally reached the correct temple and the wedding was solemnised in the courtyard, three hours behind schedule.

Both bride and groom were entering into their second marriage. Though the groom had visited the bride’s house for the 'pennukaanal' ceremony -- customary pre-engagement meeting -- the exact temple venue hadn’t been communicated. Lacking clear directions, they put their trust in the pin and nearly paid for it.