ANI; Indore; May 30, 2005

They can't see the colours of the world alone but together they can change their world. Visually impaired boys and girls participated in a match-making fair recently organised by Madhya Pradesh Visually Impaired Welfare Association in Indore, according to an A.N.I. report. The organisation has been organising such fairs for the past three years. The number of participants has gone up with each passing year. Although the matrimonial meet was meant for blind people, a number of boys and girls with other disabilities also participated in the fair.

The organisation provided the boys and girls with a platform where they got a chance to meet people from Madhya Pradesh and other neighbouring states as well. About 64 boys and 20 girls participated in the fair, escorted by parents, friends and relatives. Most of the participants were from economically poor families.

"We want to create awareness in society about [special needs]. Through only such programmes would we be able to make the common man aware about the problems of blind and visually impaired people," said M. U. Shirothonkar, an organiser.
About 10 matches were finalised during the fair; for them, a mass marriage ceremony will be organised. Mass marriages are being seen as a viable alternative to lavish traditional marriage ceremonies.