By Dr AK Srivastava
In our country, a wedding is the celebration of a lifetime for the bride and groom. It is not only a relationship between two individuals but establishes a permanent bond between two families. Marriage is a personal as well as social affair with lifetime commitment. It is a religious, moral, pious and dutiful vow between husband and wife to stand by each other in the moments of joy and sorrow. Earlier, marriage functions were imbibed with social and religious ceremonies. But as social norms are changing fast in all spheres of our lives, the institution of marriage has also experienced numerous changes. Now it is more of a display of money, power and social status.
It is said that marriages are made in heaven but performed on earth. But now it seems marriages are an occasion to impress both heaven and earth with their glamour and pomp and show. It is estimated that an average Indian spends 20 percent of lifetime savings on marriage. On average, a middle-class family spends approximately Rs 12 lakhs on weddings, while the average yearly income is only Rs three to four lakhs. The wedding industry in India is the second biggest of its type in the world. We are second only to China, where the Chinese also like to spend enormous amounts of money on their weddings. It is estimated that the Chinese spend approximately 170 billion dollars per year on weddings and we Indians spend 130 billion dollars.
When it comes to the affluent class, the budget for a single wedding can be anything from around one to five crore rupees. The recent trend of farmhouse and destination weddings has mesmerised the young generation and they wish to spend money beyond their budget. One gentleman decided to marry in an airplane. He chartered a plane to take his relatives and friends on a flight to tie his wedding knot in the air.
Both, private and government banks offer wedding loans. The interest on such a loan varies from time to time. Banks also come up with various schemes of loans during the wedding season. Such loans help couples to spend money lavishly on pre-wedding shoots and the honeymoon. Many tour agencies offer a variety of honeymoon packages. The idea of “Wed now and Pay later’ is increasingly becoming popular.
The wedding industry boosts the economy of our nation. Millions of people are directly or indirectly engaged in this industry. Jewellery, wedding points, arrangements for the stay of relatives, clothes, cards, expensive gift items, grand and elaborate decorations, lavish lunches and dinners, performances by celebrities and artists and parting gifts are some of the major expenditures at a common wedding. Even the automobile industry gets a boost during wedding seasons as people wish to gift cars and other automobiles to the bride and groom. In most families, a wedding is a three-to-five-day affair. Besides all these things, the latest trend of taking all the relatives to exotic and glamorous locations for deferent ceremonies has added a new charm. Both bride and groom sides wish to invite ministers and VIPs to show their status.
Recently, our Prime Minister encouraged people from all over the world to choose India as their wedding destination. This is because he wishes to boost the wedding industry, tourism and local handicrafts. It is true that India is a beautiful country, and it offers numerous exotic and fascinating wedding destinations especially in Rajasthan, Kerala, Uttarakhand and many other states. Bollywood has also left a massive impact on Indian weddings. Both Indians and foreigners like to watch Bollywood movies and copy the wedding ceremonies performed in those movies.
Now let us discuss the other side of the story. India is still a developing country where millions of people are struggling for suitable employment and a decent lifestyle. Education, medical care and the agriculture sector still need heavy investment. It is said that an ordinary Indian spends almost double the money on his or her wedding than on education. It is a significant legal requirement to register the marriage in courts for future life. Most of the Indian families don’t bother to fulfil this requirement.
Even today, the birth of a girl child is not a matter of joy and celebration for many Indian families. The parents start worrying about her education and marriage from her childhood. The money that should be spent on her education and upbringing is collected for her wedding.
In villages, the education of a girl child is considered an extravaganza. It is true that the government is concentrating on this issue, and many awareness schemes are being introduced in villages. But we have miles to go in this regard.
In the pomp and show of extravaganza of marriages, old traditions and values seem to be disappearing very fast. Many ceremonies that used to be an essential part of an Indian wedding have disappeared. Indian culture and the involvement of different relatives in several ceremonies seem to have been washed out. Western culture and customs are replacing the Indian set-up.
We all know that a daughter’s marriage is a tough time for her parents. Many times, their budget does not allow them to spend money lavishly, but they have to do so in order to save face in society. It takes them years to settle bank loans taken for their daughter’s wedding.
We observe that food and many items of decoration, etc., are wasted. Guests don’t seem to be concerned about such things. The slightest mistake or inaccuracy invites criticism from people.
In many western countries, both the groom and bride like to go for a complete medical check-up before their wedding. It is a very wise thing, and we must encourage such initiatives in India also.
In conclusion, we can say that excess of everything is bad. Parents should not be forced to spend beyond their means. It is an occasion of joy and celebration. Under no circumstances it should be a burden on the girls’ parents. Old traditions and values must be observed because they are an integral part of our culture and values. Here, it is pertinent to mention that many couples wish to spend self-earned money on their wedding. This is the latest trend, and we should encourage such smart and intelligent young men and women.
(Dr AK Srivastava is Principal, DAV Inter College, Dehradun.)
