Corona Virus: "Will postpone or cancel the marriage" says a Kashmiri youth

Srinagar, Wahid Bhat:
Apart from a big downfall in Kashmir tourism due to the outbreak of Corona Virus, families in the valley are postponing the marriage ceremonies. Spring season in Kashmir is considered as a marriage season. But at this point of time, no only in Kashmir, people are postponing or cancelling their weddings in the whole country amid the countrywide lockdown.

"We have weddings scheduled this month. All of these are being postponed. Everybody is confused, whether to go ahead with a ceremony having only a few guests or postpone it,” says a local from Srinagar said.

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Marriage season usually starts from April in Kashmir but due to the arrival of Ramadhan at the end of April month, some marriage ceremonies were preponed, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 led to postponement or cancellation of these marriages which were scheduled to be held this month,” said Fatima, a match maker from Srinagar.

All over the world, people are either postponing or cancelling their weddings because of the corona virus massive outbreak. Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan’s wedding with Natasha Dalal, and Richa Chadha’s with Ali Fazal have been reportedly postponed. Pop star Katy Perry in the west has also put the ceremony on hold.

“So to avoid large gatherings and prevent the spread of this deadly virus it is better to postpone or cancel the scheduled marriages in the larger public good,” Fatima told Need Agency KNO.

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She feels, “We’re living through history right now,” and says that history will clearly remember the couples who sacrificed their wedding for the sake of a larger cause. “In a sense, it becomes a memorable wedding, even if it doesn’t happen.” While some people chose to perform Nikkah in a simple way having only a few family guests invited but some had no choice.

Muhammad Sultan, a resident of Sonwar said the marriage ceremony of his daughter was scheduled to be held today but due to the outbreak of this virus he had to postpone the marriage. He said that they have now rescheduled the marriage in July this year with the hope that this pandemic would be over and normal life in the valley is back on tracks.

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Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Pampore who had scheduled marriage of his two sons in the month of April had to postpone the ceremony to July this year. Covid-19 has likely cast a gloom on hundreds of such families across wedding-crazy India. For cancelling such an event means emotional and financial resources, corralled over months, going waste, besides the lost time and effort.

An Indian wedding, in many cases, can last up to eight days. Outfits are meticulously chosen, elaborate meals arranged, guests managed, jewellery and gifts readied—and most often, according to tradition, it is the parents who must crack open their life’s savings.