On the evening of April 9th, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) married Abraham Gaurachandra Williams, a Hawaii-based cinematographer, in a traditional Hindu Vedic wedding ceremony at the historic Kahalu’u Fishpond on Kāneʻohe Bay in windward Oʻahu.
In an interview with People magazine April 4, Gabbard said she and Williams realized they had a connection a year after they met. The two are avid surfers and Williams proposed to her out in the water, she said. “He’s my best friend, my surfing buddy and my partner in everything. We’re both thrilled to celebrate this new chapter – beginning our lives together.”
She described the wedding ceremony as one “that has been used and practiced by the followers of the Vedas from India for thousands of years.” The priest used both Sanskrit and English at what Gabbard described as a “Hawaiian-style Hindu wedding.” The two exchanged vows they had written themselves. Both Williams and Gabbard are vegetarians. A vegetarian dinner was served at the wedding.
The ceremony was concluded with a traditional yoga kirtan with friends and family celebrating the newly married couple with song and dance.
Gabbard has been embraced by the Indian-American community as the only Hindu in Congress. She paid a diplomatic and trade visit to India last December and was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special guest during his visit to the U.S. last September, attending most of his high profile events.
Photo Credit: Marco Garcia
