Taking the plunge – The Hindu
Kovalam’s first underwater wedding is on January 26
When Nikhil Pawar and Eunika Pogran tie the knot, they’ll be taking destination wedding to a whole new level. The Maharastrian and his Slovakian fiancée are all set to get married underwater today, January 26, in a first-of-its-kind attempt at Kovalam, Kerala’s premier destination wedding place.
“It was always my wish to do something special for my lady love and I thought going below sea level to get hitched would be a unique and cool experience. It is something we have the means of doing and the knowledge as well,” says Nikhil, a dive instructor in Kovalam. “I’m comfortable underwater, having been a dive instructor in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for six years before coming here. Eunika too is very comfortable in the water. She is keen swimmer and has been on several dives too,” he explains.
Eunika is a political science graduate and the couple met while she was holidaying in Kovalam last year. She is now thinking of venturing into diving as a profession. Their wedding is being facilitated by Bond Safari, a company that offers diving opportunities in and around Kovalam, where Nikhil works.
Nikhil proposed to Eunika underwater too. Last Monday, he popped the question while they were on a dive, decked in full scuba gear.
He held up an underwater writing board with ‘Will You Marry Me?’ written on it and Eunika wrote back with in the affirmative and drew a picture too.
Prior to that, however, the couple underwent two sessions of scuba training. “After all, safety comes first. The couple are planning a kiss to seal the deal and that requires removing their mouthpieces. It’s quite dangerous because they will be essentially cutting off their air supply and have to know how to re-attach it without air bubbles blocking the passage,” explains Jackson Peter of Bond Safari.
They’ve chosen to have the wedding underwater off Grove beach, a popular dive site in the locality, some four feet below sea level, known for its in the relatively placid waters and diversity of marine life. On the wedding dive, they plan to exchange rings, with just a few friends in attendance. They are planning a more elaborate function on terra firma later.