It's band -baaja-baraat 51 times over, and it's all about forging lifelong bonds in different but equally pious ways.

Welcome to Dhanbad, where on January 17, 51 economically underprivileged couples of different religions will tie the knot, with religious leaders doing the honours for the vivah, nikaah, anand karaj and wedding ceremonies.

This free-of-cost, multi-religious mass marriage function, scheduled at Golf Ground, is being hosted by Dhanbad Zilla Decorators' Association, an outfit of over 2,000 tent house operators, with the help of 34 other organisations, at a cost of around Rs 30 lakh.

Some partner organisations include the Federation of Dhanbad Zilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FDZCCI), Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association (JITA), Marwari Yuva Manch, Shakti Mandir Committee, Jama Masjid Dhanbad, Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

The gala celebrations will begin with a massive baraat from Golf Ground around 10am. All 51 couples seated in 51 decked-up cars will move across the town for a grand spin before heading back to Golf Ground at noon.

While a 100ft-by-50ft stage will be built on the grounds for the common jaimala or garlanding function for couples around 12.30pm, solemn religious rituals will be held in 51 separate enclosures.

In the evening, a grand feast for around 10,000 persons will be organised from 6pm onwards at the new Town Hall. Each chosen couple will get 100 food coupons, which means a bride can invite 50 guests and a groom another 50.

President of Dhanbad Zilla Decorators' Association Pradeep Singh told The Telegraph on Monday this was the second year in a row that they were organising the multi-religious mass marriage function. On January 18, 2015, they solemnised the weddings of 30 couples - 18 Hindu, seven Muslim, three Christians and two Sikh pairs.

"This year, the number of couples has increased but we are yet to sort out applications to get the profile break-up of the 51 couples," he said. "But, I can tell you about a polio-affected tribal Hansdah couple, whose families had approached us for arranging the wedding as they were too poor to organise a celebration. It's stories like these that make us feel blessed," the association's president said.

The money for the mega event was being arranged through the contributions of different members of the Dhanbad Zilla Decorators' Association along with generous help from the 34 other associated organisations, he added.