The unprecedented crises of Covid-19 pandemic affected every facet of life. It has given rise to deeply disturbing and disquieting situation. Since last 15 months we are going through hell. The scourge of pandemic has not petered out yet. The raging viruses are causing unthinkable damage and unrest. We are hemmed in, and clueless.We couldn’t gauge how to get out of this predicament. It has wreaked havoc everywhere. We are on our beam ends. It has rapped on our knuckles and shattered our well-being. It has trapped us in a mire of colossal economical losses and manifold emotional setbacks. While we were consoling ourselves to get in terms with the consequences of a particular situation in Kashmir, Covid – 19 struck and caught us off guard. We are helpless before the vagaries of situation. We are suffering due to worrying state of affairs and Covid has sunk us further deeper into a quagmire.
We are still in a quandary and socially disintegrated. Our interactions have not been fairly free and easy. There has been phenomenal changes in our social set ups as well. We have to accept and adapt to the new norms induced by the pandemic. There are many insidious factors responsible for this freakish situation. The frazzled scientists are stopping at nothing to find a cure for Covid-19 but the problem is much bigger than finding a needle in the haystack. The situation to a greater extent has gone out of control. We have to bear it. We have to operate within the new guidelines in order to deal with the fraught circumstances, otherwise we cannot confront imminent disaster which is hovering over us.
We are going through the searing pain. We cannot slur the facts and ignore the destruction caused by the Covid-19. In these challenging times, it’s too difficult to tiptoe ourselves and protect from the deadly variants which are rearing their ugly heads again. As of now, getting vaccinated and following Covid appropriate behaviour seems only workable solution to remain safe.
What cannot be cured must be endured. We should not stop finding and seeing the brighter side of life. The show must go on. We have to bring order and optimism back to our lives. We have been hit hard by these testing times but at the same time we should look forward to the positivity that it brought along. One such thing, are the dramatic changes that it brought in soliciting the marriages. There has been so much extravagance in marriages that it has left the poor in tatters. One can understand the grievous situation by looking at the alarming figures of almost 50,000 girls in Kashmir who have crossed the age bar for getting married.
When it comes to marriages, we can go to any extent to hog the limelight. We cannot afford to be little lesser than anyone else. We wallow in false glory and exaggerate without having an iota of shame. Due to our ignorance and indifference, this sacred blessing has become burden for the people who fall in debt/death trap even after splurging their lifetime savings.
Most of us are obnoxious trend setters. More than a divine affair we have made it very hard for the poor people and exacerbated their sufferings. The evil practices are deeply rooted in our society. We are living them off. We are unstoppable. We are not either guilt tripped. We have failed to bring the transformation and respite to the people who are bearing the brunt of Unethical customs.
Now it is not only about scrumptious Wazwan platters and expensive dowry items, but the dregs of society have created such a hype by their devious ways, that the weddings seem incomplete and uncomplimentary without availing the services of Instagram fame, make up artists, mehendi designers, decorators and drone shooting also has to be in the must do list. It is a stark nonsense as well as heart wrecking for the pliable poor parents.
Since the outbreak of Pandemic. People are economically battered and emotionally broken but not beaten to celebrate the little joys of life. At least pandemic has been a blessing in disguise for those who could not afford to make marriages look larger than life affairs. It seems as if Allah has cracked the whip and set the things in right direction.
We know what our people are going through. We are not opportunists. We are at least 75% down in our business but given the economic strangulation that people are confronting here, we advise our customers to trim their guest list and prefer to make it a low key affair, says famous Kashmiri chef, Qayoom Sb, from Nowshera. It is indeed a big relief for the families who are struggling hard to make the ends meet. It is deeply unsettling but they are concerned to get their children married to run the wheels of life. It’s happening right now in the pandemic and people irrespective of their social status prefer to have limited gatherings and actuate everything with an austerity, added Mr. Qayoom.
It has been observed that from last 2 years, many youngsters are leading from the forefront to curb this menace of lavish weddings. They are setting the right precedence. Just for a cup of Kehwa they prefer to perform their Nikha. It is a positive sign, that more and more people are following the footsteps.
Bottomline
We should abstain from this extravagance and copycat syndrome which most of the people cannot afford. Our indifference, can push them into the whirlpool of social evils. It is high time for all of us to call a spade a spade and hold the people responsible who indulge in an ostentatious display of wealth.
We have to introspect and do what is expected from us to be done in line with the Islamic teachings. Let’s facilitate and solemnize marriages in a simple and graceful way.
The future of our society is riding on us. It’s high time for us to act before we are left with nothing but beating our chest with ritual criticism over the shameful incidents.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.