*Some hold simple functions
SRINAGAR, Apr 23:
Strict restrictions to curtail the spread of Coronavirus pandemic from last over a month has forced cancellation and postponement of thousands of marriages in Kashmir valley, badly affecting people associated with the sector, which is already facing the brunt of the cascading impact of the last year’s unrest.
Strict restrictions on movement and assembly of people to curtail the spread of Coronavirus continued since March 18 in Kashmir valley, where thousands of marriage functions were cancelled or postponed due to situation in the first month of marriage season. However, some people are conducting marriages in a simple manner and without even inviting family members and friends.
A groom, wearing protective gear, in Rambagh in uptown reportedly went to the house of the bride on a Scooty few days back. After the nikah, the couple came back to the residence of the groom on the Scooty.
In another incident, a groom in Zainakote went alone and brought home the bride after performing the nikah. Similar reports were received from other parts of the Valley.
The marriages in the Valley were no more a low key affair as the industry had grown exponentially during the last about a decade, making it one of the most revenue generating unorganised sectors with lakhs of people associated with it directly or indirectly. An average cost of a marriage ranges between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh while a high end marriage can cost upto over Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in Kashmir.
But as the situation remains uncertain in the Valley in view of COVID-19 pandemic J&K, people are forced to cancel or postpone marriages, badly affecting the industry in the first month of the marriage season.
The industry has already suffered immensely last year, when the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government on August 5 scrapped Articles 370 and 35 A, triggering massive outrage among people in the Valley. Normal life in the Valley was crippled for several months due to restrictions imposed by authorities and strike in 2019, forcing cancellation of marriages during the peak marriage season.
Top players of this industry claim that revenue to the tune of crores of rupees has been lost since August 2019 due to the cancellations of the functions, badly affecting lakhs of people associated with the sector, including caterers, cooks (wazas), butchers, decorators, bakers, disposable item dealers etc.
“The peak season of marriages is between July and September. But, the unrest in the Valley badly affected the marriage industry as people were forced to cancel functions and other ceremonies. Due to these cancellations, lakhs of people lost their source of income while others, who had procured items required for these functions, were facing acute financial crunch,” Shafiq Ahmad, owner of a catering company said. (PTI)
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