Maxim and Luda at Narasimha Swami Dharma Sastha Temple at ThiruvankulamKochi: India was like a second home for them. So when they decided to get married, Maxim and Luda did not have to think twice. The couple from Moscow flew in straight to Kochi and joined their destinies in a ritual at the Narasimha Swami Dharma Sastha Temple at Thiruvankulam Monday.
Maxim and Luda were not just another couple looking for a destination wedding in the exotic Orient. For Maxim, Hinduism has been a way of life for about 20 years. He had visited India several times with his soul mate. This is their second trip to Kerala.
Maxim’s affair with India started in a book on yoga he read in 1996. He learned yoga and explored the land where it originated. He read up on Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita and went on pilgrimages to holy places including Varanasi and Rishikesh. Hindu temples and rituals became a part of his life.
He later introduced his friend Luda to yoga and the Hindu way of life. Two years ago, they decided to marry each other and in the Hindu way. They flew to Kerala a few days ago and looked for a place to get married. They eventually picked the temple at Thiruvankulam with help from their tour operator.
Maxim married Luda in the temple at 9 a.m. Monday, accompanied by their friends in Kerala. The bride was gorgeous in a Kerala sari while her man draped a mundu the Kerala way.
Later, Luda performed Tulabharam in the temple, offering bananas worth her weight to the temple.
The couple have been to almost all places in Kerala. They have visited many temples across the state. Their travel will be limited to Kerala and Tamil Nadu this time. They will return to Moscow on February 16.
Maxim is a manager at a Moscow company. Luda used to work with the Museum of Multi Media Arts.
