CHANDIGARH: Pre-wedding photo shoots, DJs and liquor stalls at weddings have been banned, the number of guests from both sides has been capped at 400, and invitation cards have been replaced with WhatsApp messages as part of a series of decisions taken by a mahapanchayat of the Vaishya Agrawal community in Palwal. The community has also abolished the death feast (mrityu bhoj) in an attempt to curb extravagant spending on social functions.
The decisions were taken at a mahapanchayat held late on Sunday evening, where eight resolutions were adopted. Members of the community from Faridabad, Gurugram and Delhi also joined those from Palwal.
The mahapanchayat also barred prospective brides and grooms from going out together before marriage and prohibited pre-wedding photo shoots. Those present at the meeting pledged to implement the decisions in their own families first and then spread the message to every household in the community.
The number of guests from both sides at weddings has been capped at 300-400. Liquor stalls will no longer be allowed to operate openly at wedding functions, while the number of dishes served will be restricted to between 21 and 31 to minimise food wastage.
Loud DJ music will also not be permitted at wedding ceremonies. Music played inside banquet halls must remain within the sound limits prescribed by the government.
The mahapanchayat has also decided to encourage daytime pheras and weddings instead of night-time ceremonies to avoid unnecessary expenditure and inconvenience.
It has also fixed a ceiling on the shagun given to members of the kinnar community, setting a maximum of Rs 5,100 for weddings and births and Rs 500 on Holi and Diwali.
Families will also be encouraged to invite guests through WhatsApp messages and phone calls instead of printing expensive invitation cards and sending sweets or gifts along with them.
The community has decided to abolish death feasts entirely. It has also agreed to reduce the number of sheets placed on the bier during cremation. Those attending to offer condolences will instead bring items such as coconuts, ghee, camphor and other essentials to provide practical assistance to the bereaved family.
The move is significant as the Agrawal community in and around Palwal, including the Vaishya Samaj of Palwal, comprises largely affluent business families and is known for hosting lavish weddings. In recent years, several families have also begun organising destination weddings.
The meeting was chaired by Balram Gupta, convener of the forum and a former municipal councillor. He said many customs had turned into displays of wealth, adding to the financial burden on poor and middle-class families.
Gupta said the mahapanchayat was not intended to hurt anyone's sentiments.
"Our aim is to end practices that are becoming an economic and social burden on families and promote simplicity, equality and cooperation in society," he said, appealing to the entire community to support the implementation of the decisions.
