A man and a dog were joined in matrimony last Sunday through a traditional Hindu ritual, as an attempt from the man to be cleansed of his sin of stoning two dogs to death.

The marriage took place at a temple in Tamil Nadu, located south of India, upon the advice of an astrologer who revealed that doing so would be the only way for Selva Kumar, 33, to atone for his evil deed, which involved Kumar stoning and clubbing to death two dogs he found mating. Afterwards he strung the bodies up a tree.

Marrying the dog, according to the astrologer, was also the only way for Kumar to be healed from the physical pain and suffering that evidently ravaged his body right after the deed.

"After that my legs and hands got paralyzed and I lost hearing in one ear," Kumar explained, reported reporters.

At the ceremony the 10-year old female dog, named Selvi, was draped in an orange sari, as adherence to tradition. A garland of flowers was hung around her neck.

The groom announced his vow to "take care of it until its death," and the two were declared man and spouse.