Bride dies during her wedding ceremony; family gives younger sister to groom so wedding can continue

A bride in Bhavnagar died of a heart attack in the middle of her wedding rituals at the marriage venue in the Subhashnagar area, India. 

This unfortunate incident took place in late February, in front of the Bhagwaneshwar Mahadev Temple in Bhavnagar. 

Hetal, the daughter of a man identified as Jinabhai Rathore, was in the process of marrying Vishal, the son of Ranabhai Butabhai Algotar of Nari village. 

Guests filled the venue with wedding songs playing in the background when celebrations were forced to halt. 

While performing her wedding rituals, Hetal reportedly felt dizzy and fainted. 

She was rushed to a nearby hospital and the doctors said she had died of a heart attack. 

Even as the family mourned the death of Hetal, relatives proposed an alternative plan to ensure the wedding celebrations continued. They suggested the bride’s younger sister take her place and marry Vishal. 

The family agreed to marry her sister to the groom and continued the wedding rituals with her younger sister. 

Hetal’s body was reportedly kept in cold storage until the ceremony was over. 

Corporator of Bhavnagar city and leader of Maldhari Samaj, Laxmanbhai Rathore described the incident as very sad. He said even though the family was shocked by the death of their daughter, members of society convinced them to set an example and not send the bridegroom and his family empty handed. 

This is not the first time a family would give away another daughter after one died during the wedding ceremony.  In June 2021, in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India, a family gave the younger sister to the groom after the bride collapsed during the wedding ceremony (read here).