Extravagant Weddings

Bini Dahal

Just looking at the amount of money the rich people spend on weddings and other social functions, we can get an idea of the stark contrast between the affluent and the impoverished population. While occasions like weddings are a matter of celebration, they come with excessive spending of money and other resources. 

These days, India’s richest family, the Ambanis are in the news for their extravagant pre-wedding functions organised for their youngest son. It was a three-day function and not even the main wedding ceremony. The amount of money spent and the number of people in attendance truly showed the level of the richest section of the society. From a positive standpoint, these events directly or indirectly bolster various individuals, support them in their employment and their means of livelihood. 

Weddings hold immense significance in Asian societies, particularly in India where “big-fat weddings” often draw massive attention. This is the case for our Nepali society as well. The affluent stratum of society, when organising such events, meticulously attends to every detail, be it the venue, cuisine, jewelry, attire or other minute details. These grand weddings have the ability to swiftly empty the pockets of someone who has worked hard to save penny by penny. While the wealthy can spend millions and billions without seeing a change in their fortunes, the same cannot be applied for the middle and lower-middle classes. 

This is something that never fails to amuse me. How is it that the economic conditions of people are so different to the point that for some, surviving on basics is itself a difficult task? For the middle and the lower classes, organising weddings could involve taking a debt. We live in a society where we are unable to let go of the pressure it puts on us. So, most of the time, our actions stem from how we are perceived by our society.

While there is a growing trend towards minimalist spending, societal norms and personal desires often compel us to spend more and do things to the maximum. The rich section of the society has a strong hold on nearly every resource. But for the underprivileged people, even making sure that they and their families get to consume a proper one square meal could be a difficult task. 

It is indeed difficult to minimise the gap between the rich and the poor. The rich will grow richer but the poor will have to put much effort into making sure that they survive poverty and other difficulties. It is crucial that the authorities take steps to reduce such widening gaps. With changing times, society is suffering from varied issues that further increase the gap between the rich and the poor. But the principle should remain that we should open our pockets only as per our capacity. 

How society thinks of it must not justify our happiness and the importance of a particular function or event. This could pose a major difficulty. However, with constant effort, bad social practices should be discouraged at all cost. Our want for extravagance poses more problems than expected to the society, the people, environment and the country. Therefore, fostering a mindful spending culture is a must. By doing so, we can ensure a more equitable and sustainable future.