Devyani Gets Hitched

Devyani swayamvar sealed - Wedding on Friday
eKantipur.com
BY GOPAL KHANAL

KATHMANDU, Feb 22 - Devyani Rana, the heartthrob of late crown prince Dipendra, chose to make Ashwarya, a royal family member of Madhya Pradesh, India, her life partner by offering him a garland and a diamond ring, amidst a grand function held here on Thursday.

At the Swayamvar Ceremony organized a day before the wedding, Devyani and Ashwarya exchanged garlands and a set of diamond jewelry as token of their vow to live together for the rest of their lives.

Devyani was clad in a red saree, while Ashwarya wore Ajakan, a specially designed dress for the bridegroom during the Swayamvar ceremony. The duo received blessings from relatives and held informal talks with their friends after they exchanged rings.

Some 1,000 people, including Congress I leader Karan Singh, former British Ambassador to Nepal Keith George Bloomfield, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Basundhara Raje Scindia and officials of various diplomatic missions based in India were present on the Swayamvar ceremony.

Over 5,000 guests are expected to be present at the wedding ceremony to be held on Friday. "I am extremely happy," Devyani told the Post, after the Swayamvar ceremony. To avoid any untoward incident, security was beefed up and media persons were denied entry to the Swayamvar ceremony.

Devyani did not want to talk about her past. "I do not want to remember the past," she said for the first time to the media after the royal massacre in 2001. "I am happy with the marriage."

Asked if she wanted to comment on her future, Devyani said, "I have a job at the United Nations. I will continue with the job. Appearing frail, Devyani showed no sign of the pomp and arrogance generally associated with aristocracy and Royalty, contrary to her upbringing in an elite Rana family of Nepal as well as the royal family of Gwalior.

Family members had arranged the marriage after Devyani, the youngest daughter of Rastriya Prajantra Party chairman Pashupati SJB Rana and Ashwarya made their marital preferences clear.

Devyani wedding solemnized
eKantipur.com
BY GOPAL KHANAL

NEW DELHI, Feb 24 - The wedding ceremony of Devyani Rana, youngest daughter of Rastriya Prajatantra Party chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana, concluded here Saturday. She has married Ashwarya Singh, member of a royal family in Madhya Pradesh state of India.

Devyani, famous for her 'friendship' with then Crown Prince Dipendra, married her friend Aishwarya Singh in Rana-Rajput and Nepali tradition. Dignitaries from Nepal, India, the USA, UK, Sri Lanka and other countries were present at the grand wedding ceremony at Scindia House, New Delhi. All envoys at diplomatic missions in India were also present on the occasion.

The marriage procession arrived at 6:45 pm on Friday. The groom was with his grandfather Arjun Singh, Indian central minister, and other ministers, lawmakers and bollywood star Anil Kapur.

Former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, opposition leader in the Indian parliament Lal Krishna Adbani, Bharatiya Janta Party president Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Shiva Raj Patil and Priyanka Gandhi were also present on the occasion. However, Sonia Gandhi and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were absent.

Former prime minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wikramasinghe stayed till late with other diplomats. Most members of the Gwalior family and Rana family members living in India were present. But no political leaders from Nepal were to be seen.

In keeping with Rana-Rajput tradition, the bride wore her grandmother's wedding outfit.