Liz-Nayar's 'Big, Fat' Marathon Wedding ends in a Brawl

The much publicized three-day long wedding party of Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar culminated in a scuffle between journalists and security guards at Friday's reception, converting the so-called most auspicious day for the couple to get married again into an ominous day.

Hurley, the 41-year-old British actress-model and Nayar, a 42-year-old Indian businessman, were due to tie knot in a traditional Hindu ceremony yesterday at a traditional Hindu ceremony at Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur.

The ceremony was going smoothly in a much sophisticated manner when a scuffle between the guards deployed outside the Mehrangarh fort, the venue for the dinner and the members of Indian media gathered to get 'exclusives' from the event suddenly occurred and spoiled the party.

The fight broke out at the gates of the fort-turned-hotel after a security guard slapped a television reporter as journalists tried to chase the celebrity couple's car. Angry media men then broke through one of the security cordons, setting off a fist fight with the security guards.

Although the scuffle lasted about an hour no major injuries were reported.

"The security guards and police were punching and shoving the journalists. At least 10 suffered bruises and cuts," said AFP photographer R Raveendran, who had hurt his thumb during the fight.

"The police and security people were also roughing up locals, who started shouting 'Go home Liz'," Raveendran said. A security representative of the couple later apologized to the journalists, he informed.

The incidence prompted the authorities in Jodhpur to deploy extra police to the airport in the city for the celebrity couple's departure. The couple was expected to fly back to Mumbai on Saturday.

A city astrologer, Madan Purohit, has said that Friday was an auspicious day for the couple to get married again. This was celebrity couple’s second wedding in a week. Last Friday, the couple tied knot in a civil ceremony at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, and held a blessing and lavish party at the castle outside London the following night.

The couple arrived in India on Wednesday to host a number of pre-wedding parties. The marriage was performed with traditional Hindu rituals as Nayar has family connections in India. Nayar, the groom, arrived at the wedding venue riding a white horse, followed by a marriage procession as per the Indian customs.

Most of the women guests donned pink saris while the men were with multi-coloured turbans on their heads.

Telling about the couple’s wedding dress earlier yesterday, renowned Indian designer Rohit Bal said that Hurley would wear a white “lehanga” and “chunni”, a traditional Indian embroidered skirt and blouse, detailed in silver, while Nayar was to wear a matching “sherwani,” a tight-fitting knee-length coat.

Hurley, who starred in the "Austin Powers" and "Bedazzled" films, was also accompanied by her 4-year-old son, Damian, on their trip to India.