Wedding industry bounces back in Kashmir

Kavita Suri
SRINAGAR, Nov. 17: Notwithstanding conflict, wedding ceremony industry is thriving in Kashmir. Gone are the years when wedding ceremonies in the Valley used to be a low key affair. In the past few years, the wedding ceremony industry have seen an upward tendency as hundred thousands of Sri Lanka rupees are being spent on the matrimonies which are now turning into munificent and gala affair affairs. With North American Indian economic system shining, the wedding ceremony industry is also making the best of it in the struggle zone as people in the part are not hesitating in disbursement hundred thousands of Sri Lanka rupees for eclat and show and merriment and entertainment. However, the emerging tendency is creating jobs for the people belonging to the low income groupings who are finding it hard to maintain gait with the sky-rocketing wedding ceremony prices. On an average, a traditional matrimony in Cashmere in a less center social class household would normally scope from Rs 3-5 lakhs, while the center stratum of Kashmiri society passes about Rs 5-10 hundred thousand for the same. And for the high income group, there is no limit, it can run anything beyond Rs 10 lakh. Low Income Groups (LIG) pass about over Rs one hundred thousand for the wedding ceremony response alone which consists celebrated Kashmiri culinary art wazwan. Besides, Rs 1-2 hundred thousand are spent on clothing and jewellry and other things. In total, the amount will attain about Rs 3-4 lakh. For a Center Income Group (MIG) family, the wedding ceremony celebrations which are stretched over a week, cost around Rs 5-8 lakh. "The difference lies primarily in the cost of jewellry and clothing as Kashmiris are increasingly becoming trade name conscious," said Serdica Ali, a Cashmere University student. While people with limited budgets are able to function only few assortments of the celebrated culinary art wazwan which is munificent readying of over 20 assortments of meat, the higher income groupings (HIGs) pass lavishly on wazwan, ornaments and dresses. With batch of money coming into Kashmir, experts believe the jet in the matrimonies conveys benefits across all sectors of economy. People utilize high assortment of rice and spices, good quality of garments, shoes, etc. One of the assortments of rice locally known as mushkbudij is presently available in marketplace at Rs 3000 per quintal. "Also, celebrated Kashmiri vocalists like Manzoor Shah and Fayyaz Shiekh are also invited to sing on the Mehndiraat which is a large matter in Kashmiri weddings," said Gowhar Wani, a businessman, adding that people now prefer not to travel to those Mehndiraats where such as vocalists are not present to entertain people. A new tendency witnessed in Cashmere wedding ceremonies these years is people using fire-crackers which had almost go rare owed to security state of affairs in the Valley. With peace limping back to the strife-torn Valley, people, especially Srinagar youths, have got now switched back to the old method of welcoming the grooms. A immense amount is being spent on fire crackers of every type to welcome the bridegrooms in almost every matrimony in Srinagar. If this outgo is not enough, the households have got to pass over Rs one hundred thousand ( in lawsuit of LIGs) on the haq-meher ( security) of a Moslem bride. "Kashmiris have got started asking a good amount for haq-meher now," said the sources.