Swayamvaraa, a matchmaking service exclusively for the speech & hearing impaired in India

For 17 years, the Swayamvaraa Trust has been running a match-making service only for speech and hearing impaired people in India. It is managed by C N Vijayraj, and at a recent event, over 4,000 couples found each other through a two-day annual gathering.

Those interested interact with each other on the first day of the event, get to know each other’s personality and then choose who they want to be with.

Once they make up their minds about the person they want to marry, Vijayraj talks to the parents and organises the marriages the next day.

The idea came to Vijayraj when he was invited to a function organised by the Association of Hearing Disabled Citizens of Karnataka. There he came across the struggles faced by the speech and hearing impaired to find a life partner.

He sold his property and invested the money to set up Swayamvaraa. He says that every time a couple get married, he feels like his own children have come together.

The organisation has some simple rules for the brides, grooms and their families. No dowry is allowed and all marriages have to be registered with the sub-registrar. Anyone from across India can take part.

Registration and selection of couples for the 17th hearing impaired matrimony event will take place on 9 January and the marriages will be performed the next day. Wedding ceremonies are performed according to the religious traditions of the brides and grooms. The trust donates everything the newly wedded couple need to begin life together.

Watch in Sign Language