TIRUPATI: The Indian wedding industry is sure that a recovery is on the cards with the second COVID wave finally waning. Also, with the State government extending the limit for social gatherings to up to 150 persons the industry is betting big on the business returning to normalcy one step at a time.
Eighty-five per cent of kalyana mandapams and other wedding halls in the entire Rayalaseema and Nellore districts have been booked for the holy month of Sravana.
Anywhere between 15,000 and 18,000 weddings are expected to take place in the region in the period. As the new rules allow a maximum of 150 people to gather, some are even opting for hotel banquet halls over marriage halls.
The function halls took one of the worst beatings in the COVID situation as they did not get many bookings even after the restrictions were eased.
According to matchmakers, the auspicious days for marriage ceremonies start from August 11 and end in the first week of September. With the holy month having only 10-12 auspicious days, the establishments are having a field day to accommodate their clients. Also, the next period of auspicious days is in November.
According to people in the know, Nellore will witness 1,300-1,400 marriages. Kurnool district, which has 186 wedding halls, is also witnessing a similar situation. "There were no bookings for marriages in April, May and June last year due to the first wave. A similar situation persisted in the second wave. Only now there is a change in the situation and we are expecting that the trend continues," said Rajesh Naidu, owner of a function hall in Kurnool town.
The rush is so much that some who failed to get a venue are scouting for vacant lands in schools and colleges while others are planning to perform the function at their residence. "We tried to book a hall but there was no vacancy. So, we planned to perform my daughter’s marriage at our residence on August 14," said Uppari Venkateswarlu of Banaganapalle in Kurnool district.
Siva Kumar, an event organiser in Kadapa, said his firm is offering packages of Rs 1.50 lakh - 2 lakh to organise weddings with participation of a limited number of people.
Season of big fat Indian weddings
85 per cent of kalyana mandapams in Rayalaseema and Nellore districts have been booked for the month of Sravana
According to matchmakers, the auspicious days for marriage ceremonies start from August 11 and end in the first week of September