Jaipur man creates Rs 25 lakh, 3 kg silver wedding card for daughter featuring 65 deities

The silver invitation is expected to be formally presented to the groom’s family as part of the wedding rituals. (Image: X)

A Jaipur resident has drawn widespread attention after unveiling a wedding invitation created entirely from silver for his daughter’s marriage. Shiv Johri designed and handcrafted a box-style wedding card weighing nearly three kilograms, using pure silver and assembling it without a single nail or screw.

The invitation, prepared for the wedding of Johri’s daughter Shruti Johri to Harsh Soni, is estimated to be worth around Rs 25 lakh, NDTV reported. According to the family, the structure has been put together using 128 individual silver components, all fitted together through precise craftsmanship.

Measuring approximately 8 inches by 6.5 inches, with a depth of around 3 inches, the invitation is densely engraved with religious imagery. At the top sits Lord Ganesha, accompanied by the inscription “Shri Ganeshaya Namah”. Goddess Parvati is positioned to the right, while Lord Shiva appears on the left. At the base are Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu.

The card includes carvings of 65 gods and goddesses in total. Two representations of Lord Venkateswara, also known as Tirupati Balaji, are featured prominently, along with sculpted gatekeepers. Other figures include deities holding lamps and fly-whisks, charioteers, and gods depicted playing conch shells and drums.

The outer panels display the eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi, known as Ashtalakshmi, each shown with attendants. The Sun God is also depicted on the exterior. The border alone features 40 finely carved elephant faces, while additional animals such as horses, peacocks and cows appear throughout the design.

Several mythological scenes are illustrated, including Ram Darbar, Lord Shiva’s wedding, Radha and Krishna, the Tirupati temple gates, and Lord Vishnu reclining on Sheshnag. Episodes from Lord Krishna’s childhood and early life are also represented. At the centre, a rare South Indian-style image of Lord Krishna appears with one face and five bodies, encircled by eight cows.

The names of the bride and groom are engraved at the centre of the invitation, surrounded by elephants shown scattering flowers. Inside the box, the names of both families, including the parents of the bride and groom and extended relatives, are engraved in a layout resembling a traditional printed invitation.

According to NDTV, Johri explained the motivation behind the project and said, “I made this card myself over the course of a year. I wanted my daughter's wedding to invite not just relatives, but all the gods and goddesses as well. I wanted to give my child something that would stay with her for generations—something future generations would see and remember.”

He added, “After six months of thinking, we decided that we should create this special thing, and I worked on it for one year to make it ready.”

The silver invitation is expected to be formally presented to the groom’s family as part of the wedding rituals.