A temple in Almora has made it mandatory for couples to show their Aadhaar cards before marriage.(Photo for representation: Reuters)

Aadhaar card is mandatory for several government schemes these days. Now, a temple in Almora, Uttarakhand, has taken it a step further.

Anyone who wants to get married at the Golu Devta temple will now have to first show his or her Aadhaar card to the priests. The move, say temple priests, will help them check incidents of child marriages at the temple.

NO OTHER IDENTITY CARD



No other identity proof will be accepted, say the priests. Driving licence, Voter ID card or PAN cards don't work here because Aadhaar cards provide more background information about a person, the priests say.

ALSO READ: Knot happy: India-Pakistan tension casts shadow over marriage season in border areas

The temple is extremely popular with young couples and at least six marriages are solemnised here everyday and nearly 400 every year.

In such a scenario, priests say, it gets extremely difficult to carry out a background check on each and every couple. That is why they are insisting on Aadhaar cards.

ALSO READ: Midair marriage: Maharashtra couple tie the knot on a ropeway, 600-feet above the ground



CHECK CHILD MARRIAGES



Youngsters from Nepal, mostly underage, come to this temple to get married. Now that producing an Aadhaar card is mandatory, the temple believes it will be able to check this trend.

Golu Devta is worshipped as the local deity of justice in the Kumaon region and a marriage at this temple is considered extremely auspicious.

ALSO READ: Fear honour killing? Declare in marriage forms: CIC to lovers





