One may have heard about brides rejecting grooms during the wedding ceremonies for being drunk or dark or for demanding dowry.
But a bride in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district, about 250 km from here, rejected a groom as he was ''too weak''.
The bizarre incident occurred in the middle of the wedding ceremony at Lohkatiya village, late on Friday night, according to reports.
The wedding party had arrived from Dhata village in the neighbouring Fatehpur district.
Everything was going on well till the time of 'phera' (a ritual during which the bride and the groom together circle fire seven times and take the wedding vows).
The bride refused to take the 'phera' upon being called to do so by the priest.
She kept quiet initially and declined to disclose the reason behind her refusal but later revealed it. ''The groom is too weak,'' she said, much to the dismay of the guests and relatives.
Her family members tried their best to persuade her to agree to the marriage but she remained adamant. She threatened to commit suicide if forced to marry, reports said.
Panchayat too fails
A panchayat of the village elders was also convened to resolve the matter but the bride's parents expressed their helplessness. ''What can we do if our daughter refuses to marry,'' the father of the bride said.
The marriage was cancelled and the wedding party ultimately had to return home without the bride.