Born and brought up in the Indian society, I have always seen Indian weddings as an exaggerated social event. Preparations begin 3-4 months before the wedding, and suddenly everyone becomes so busy and when asked the only reply is “Shadi ka ghar hai bht kaam hai.” (A lot of work needs to be done for the wedding.)
When I was younger, I used to enjoy all the ceremonies a lot, like any other kid, but now I think about why Indian weddings are so overhyped. Why we can’t be sensible and mature enough to understand that this occasion is not for the people, it is for the couple who are going to spend the rest of their lives with each other. Instead of making it a grand event for others, our parents should make it memorable for us.
Last month I was invited to a big fat Indian wedding. Everything was really lavish. But one thing that caught my eye was how the bride and the groom looked not less than a showpiece with whom everyone wanted a picture to be clicked. The smiles on their faces showed how tiresome it was to get those pictures clicked; just to ensure that others were happy. Have you ever wondered why most people in these weddings are the ones who are meeting for the first time? People dress as if only to impress each other. Parents are spending all their savings just to show people who are present that 50 varieties of food have been served. And last but not the least, the good old tradition of giving and taking continues forever.
On the way back home thinking about our society and all things hackneyed, I asked my parents that why weddings are so overrated? The answer I got was expected and cliché: “This is our society, it works like this only.” I wasn’t shocked to hear this from my parents because when they were kids, their parents also taught them the same. This is a vicious circle which will go on for generations.
But don’t you think this society needs to change? A wedding is a beautiful occasion where two people in love are tied in a bond together for the rest of their lives. It’s their day, and it should not be made a hyperbolic activity with unfamiliar people. Instead, it should be celebrated with the dear ones along with their blessings and love which is more important than any other thing in this world.
We are living in the 21st century, and I guess our generation is the one that can bring a revolution in this era by breaking the stereotype: “This is our society, It works like this only.” It is probably hard to imagine how our parents are working so hard to make our weddings a social event just to impress others. I request today’s youth to take a step forward and build a better future.