Anyone who ever attended an Indian or Pakistani wedding knows that they are monumental events, with guests in the thousands and bride and groom dressed (and behaving) like a king and queen. Except that in a wedding that took place in a village in Bihar state recently, the prospective "king" fell rather short of expectations. He turned up at his own wedding ceremony drunk to the eyeballs and quite incapable. Both families were about to suffer a fearful public humiliation - until, somehow, the bride decided or was convinced to accept the groom's younger brother, who was stone cold sober and very willing to take over his brother's burden.

The culprit later apologized to all the assembled guests for bringing shame on them, and swore he would never marry.