In Kerala’s Kannur district, the Payyavoor Grama Panchayat has launched a unique social initiative—a mass wedding programme aimed at helping young people tie the knot despite the growing financial and social barriers that make marriage difficult today. The scheme, titled Payyavoor Mangalyam, is open to men and women across all castes and religions, with the panchayat promising community support to ease the financial burden of weddings.
The programme has drawn enormous attention, but the response has been overwhelmingly one-sided. Since registrations opened, more than 3,000 men have applied, while only about 200 women have come forward. This sharp disparity has led officials to suspend further applications from men to balance the process, though registrations remain open for women in hopes of narrowing the gender gap.
Officials highlighted that applications have not been limited to Payyavoor alone—many have come in from neighbouring districts as well, reflecting just how many young men are eager to benefit from such a scheme. The imbalance, however, underscores the social challenges that persist, with women’s participation proving much more limited than men’s.
The panchayat has made additional efforts to encourage women’s applications. Forms have been widely circulated on social media, and they can also be submitted through the Singles Women’s Welfare Association to make the process easier and more accessible.
Panchayat president Saju Xavier confirmed that preparations are underway to host the grand event this October, emphasising that the objective is to remove financial roadblocks and create a supportive environment for young couples starting their married lives. He stressed that the mass wedding is not only about individual marriages but also about fostering a sense of solidarity and shared responsibility within the community.
Despite the overwhelming response from men, the initiative highlights a deeper societal imbalance—that while many young men are actively seeking marriage, the same enthusiasm has not been mirrored by women, raising important questions about changing priorities, gender expectations, and social pressures in modern Kerala.
