Besides picturesque mustard fields, surplus grain stocks and five voluminous rivers flowing across, the fertile state of Punjab is known for ‘Big Fat Punjabi’ weddings. It doesn’t matter if it’s happening in Punjab or not, talk about Punjabi weddings and you’ll be reminded of a lavish display of wealth and power. Ostentatiously decorated stages, helicopter for the groom, choppers showering flowers at the couple, pre-wedding shoots at foreign locations, drone photography, 3D mapping, personalised gift, lavish themes and a whole lot of exotic dishes– that’s what describes Punjabi weddings.
Just recently, when a bill was proposed in the Lok Sabha to cap wedding expenditures within the 5 lakh bracket, the elite class broke into a series of outbursts at restricting the wedding desires of the masses. To the country’s surprise, the Punjabis welcomed this move and admitted the evils associated with lavish weddings.
What was the ‘Cut Marriage Expenses’ Bill All About?
The imminent Lok Sabha bill was proposed by Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan. She’s the wife of MP Pappu Yadav. The bill aimed at exercising control on the wedding guest list, menu and overall expenses. Although the bill limits wedding expenditures to Rs 5 lakh, should the families wish to spend beyond the limit, they’ll have to contribute 10% of the total wedding expenses to the marriage of poor girls.
The bill may have stirred up controversies everywhere, but a few members welcomed it with open arms.
This is How the Punjabis Responded to the Lok Sabha Bill
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Principal
Satish Kapoor, the ex-principal of Jalandhar’s Khalsa college feels it’s an excellent move that will help the BPL families in India. “Sometimes, arranging a big lavish ceremony takes a toll on the families, but they bear the economic pressure to maintain their status symbol. Rather than showing off at ceremonies, it’s essential to educate the younger generations about the real purpose of marriage. Since black money invested in marriages produces extra black money, it’s essential to stop this trend”.
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Farmer
Avtar Singh, a middle-class farmer from Bhogpur’s Char-Ke village is happy with this bill. In his villages, expensive weddings have left several farmers under debts. To match the groom’s desires, middle-class families have to invest a large sum in weddings that put unnecessary social burden on the bride’s parents.
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Showroom Owner
Gaurav Munja, the owner of Hero Ecotech believes it’s difficult to change the spendthrift attitude of the Punjabi families overnight. However, the bill is a practical tool to check this menace. Next, the government needs to take a concrete step on evading gifting rituals that have gradually substituted dowry in modern society.
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Advocate
Advocate Kamal Arora shares that in the changing times, marriage expenditures have become yet another reason to seek a divorce. Sometimes the groom’s family seek divorce on ridiculous grounds, for petty reasons, such as they didn’t get the gifts they desired or they weren’t served the liquor of their choice. This will be put an end to this silliness.
Judging by the responses of these individuals, it’s evident that India is ready for the big change. However, a lot more needs to be done in order to limit the use of black money. Also, the government needs to do something about wedding businesses, as they might suffer losses if the bill is passed in the Lok Sabha.
