Their Son Died Heartbroken In 2003, Now His Parents Recreate His Wedding Every Ram Navami In Telangana

For 23 years, a grieving couple in Telangana has turned personal loss into a deeply emotional annual ritual, keeping alive the memory of their son through prayers, devotion and a symbolic wedding ceremony that now brings an entire village together.

In Mahabubabad district of Telangana, Lalu and Sukkamma have been organising a wedding ceremony every year for their son, Ram Koti, who died in 2003. What began as a family's attempt to cope with an unimaginable tragedy has since become a remarkable local tradition observed with faith and reverence.

A Tragic Love Story That Ended in Loss

Ram Koti died by suicide after his love marriage faced opposition from the girl's family. The heartbreak did not end there. Just a few days after his death, the young woman he loved also died by suicide, leaving both families shattered and the village in mourning.

The double tragedy left Ram Koti's parents devastated. But instead of allowing grief to consume them in silence, they chose to preserve their son's memory in a way that reflected both their pain and their love for him.

A Dream That Changed Everything

According to Sukkamma, the turning point came after her son's death, when she saw him in a dream. She said Ram Koti asked his parents to build a temple and perform his marriage.

Taking the dream as a sign, the couple built a small shrine inside their home. Inside the shrine, they installed statues of Ram Koti and the young woman he loved, placing them side by side as a symbol of the union they were never able to have in life.

For the family, the shrine became more than a memorial. It became a sacred space where grief, remembrance and faith merged into one enduring ritual.

Wedding Ceremony Held Every Year on Ram Navami

Since then, Lalu and Sukkamma have been conducting a traditional wedding ceremony for the two every year on Ram Navami. The ritual is performed in the same way as a real marriage, complete with prayers, offerings and customary wedding practices.

The choice of the day carries deep significance. In Telangana, Sri Rama Navami is widely associated with the celestial wedding of Lord Rama and Sita, celebrated in temples with great devotion. Inspired by this long-standing religious tradition, Ram Koti's parents treat the statues as divine forms and perform the symbolic marriage with similar faith and solemnity.

Each year, the ceremony is observed with the same dedication, reflecting the couple's unwavering emotional bond with their son.

From Private Grief to a Village Tradition

What started as an intimate act of remembrance inside a family home has, over the years, evolved into a community tradition. Villagers, relatives and people from nearby areas now gather annually to witness the ceremony and join the prayers.

The ritual has become not only a way for Ram Koti's parents to honour their son, but also a moment of shared emotion for the wider community. For many who attend, it stands as a poignant reminder of love, loss and the lengths to which parents will go to keep the memory of a child alive.

Even after more than two decades, the ceremony continues to transform sorrow into devotion, ensuring that Ram Koti's story is remembered year after year.