Someone has been issuing diktats on the conduct of marriages in these times of unrest and clashes leading to deaths and injuries to village volunteers in the periphery villages. The diktats were like celebratory stunts like fireworks and extravaganza deemed unnecessary should be avoided, not more than 10 vehicles should be there in escorting the bride to the bride-groom’s house, instead of long queues for celebrating the sankritan performers besides the front row audience the money should be donated to those needy in these times of crisis and suffering etc etc. Some of these diktats are sensible in view of the extraneous expenses and celebration, although diktats are by nature unsavoury.
What is most frustrating during the marriage season is the traffic jams on auspicious days and it takes hours to reach the marriage venues. With a quantum jump in the number of vehicles in recent times, it is even more insane in the months when marriages are allowed. Every parent wants the marriage ceremony of their children to be solemnised on auspicious days as fixed by the astrologers and modern day Panjis. So, naturally traffic jams happen on these days.
There were even suggestions on social media that the Manipur government should declare a half-holiday on such auspicious days during the marriage season so as to enable government servants to attend these events taking into consideration the time taken in the traffic jams besides the number of marriage venues one has to reach.
In the rites of passage, marriage is also one of the three occasions during which absence is considered an insult by the immediate family. In the Meitei community, everything is elaborate in the rituals and ceremonies, be it among the followers of traditional Meitei religion like Sanamahi or Hindu Vaishnavism. Of all the rituals and ceremonies, one cannot do away with the ceremonies relating birth, marriage and death while other ceremonies are mere add-ons.
With ever-rising inflation, the rates of mandatory Potyeng-sel has increased to Rs 500 and 1000. Anything below is ridiculed. Again, it has become a ritual for everyone attending to celebrate the performers of Nat Sankritan with Rs 10 notes each. However, with the scarcity of Rs 10 notes in circulation, it has slowly been replaced with Rs 20 notes.
Nowadays, it has also become a practice to celebrate the first-benchers in the mandap with the same Rs 10 or 20 notes. Given the frequency of ceremonies during the marriage season, it has become a burden for many and especially for those with little means. Even some VVIPs have started to complain, as for them they had to attend the ceremony of each and every family in his or her constituency.
On the other hand, the overall expenditure in organising these rituals and ceremonies had increased manifold particularly in marriage ceremonies with extravagantly decorated pandals and catering services with exorbitant rates, wedding cakes, momos and non-veg items, on-site tea and hot snacks and lavish feasts during Mangani Chakkouba.
With the entry of event managers or the modern day Arangphams, the expenses had gone through the roof. These events handle everything from erecting pandals and decorating them with extravagant paraphernalia, photography sessions and videography, organising wedding cake parties, catering services and what not. It was indeed lucky that they left the ritual part to the Arangphams. Indeed, the time has come for the society to fall back and think on extraneous expenses during such rituals and ceremonies.
(The views expressed are personal)
