Himalayan News Service

Jaipur, April 13:

Shamsher weds Diana on April 24. Their families met on the Internet, but their marriage is unique for one reason — the bride and groom in question are dogs! International Dog Bazar, a city-based one-stop dog shop, has introduced a number of unique plans to popularise canine culture in the city — one of them being a website where dog owners can find mating partners for their pooches.

“I wanted to offer my customers the facility of marrying and mating their dogs. I suddenly bumped into the idea of hosting a website and so it was launched,” Viren Sharma, owner of International Dog Bazar, said.

According to him, owners have to append a bio-data and photograph of their dogs, along with details of their breed, pedigree, bloodline, colour, height, weight and shape on the website. A mate can be found by scanning the available data.

“On April 24, Shamsher and Diana would get married as per Hindu rituals,” said Sharma, who is also the wedding planner. The match had been solemnised on the basis of a lucky draw from the website’s data. Preparations for the marriage have already been started. “We have printed cards and have already started distributing it,” said Shamsher’s owner, Moinuddin Khan, “I expect over 200 persons to attend the wedding.”

According to Sharma, Shamsher, 2, would come in a car, fully dressed. A band would lead his marriage procession. The bride, Diana, one and a half years, would bring with her wedding gifts as per tradition — this time, dog food, clothes, cosmetics and like.

“You just have to insert a bio-data and a photograph of the dog or the bitch whose mate is required. Chances are very high that you may find a good mating match,” said Sharma, who is also secretary of Kennel Club of Rajasthan.

Besides the wedding, there would also be a dog show on the same day in which dogs from all over the country were likely to participate.

“We plan to organise a dog fashion show and a jewellery fashion show of for dogs on the occasion,” he said, revealing that the clothes for canines would be designed by students of the city-based Arch Institute of Fashion Designing.