08-27-2008, 04:25 AM
<b> The big fat Indian wedding is getting fatter
</b>
Bageshree S.
Hi-tech lighting and fibreglass decorations; inflation has not sobered down the Indian wedding
The cost of a wedding has gone up by 20 per cent
The biggest spending is on food
Costly affair: The austere South Indian wedding now has mehendi parties and tacos and fondues as part of the food spread.
Bangalore: The rate of inflation is inching close to the 13-per cent mark. But the big fat Indian wedding this season â which has begun with the month of Shravana â shows no signs of slimming down. If the scale of weddings being planned is anything to go by, it only shows signs of unabashedly putting on a few more kilos.
According to one estimate, holding a wedding has grown pricier by about 20 per cent this season.
âThere is always an escalation from one year to the next. But this year, it is significantly higher because the price of all commodities and services has shot up,â says Eshwar Bhonsle, who has been running the marriage portal kalyanaindia.com for eight years.
Simple explanation
Mr. Bhonsle has a simple explanation for why skyrocketing prices have not brought any sense of moderation into weddings: âJust as people donât stop driving cars because petrol prices go up, no one cuts down on wedding costs either.â
The cost of a standard Indian wedding can be no less than Rs. 5 lakh now, putting together wedding hall rent, printing of invitation cards, catering service, photographers, orchestra, decorators, guest accommodation and transport.
This is apart from trousseau and jewellery. Those who hire event managers to take charge of everything will have to foot that bill too. But there is no cap on how much it can go up to, depending on the cash flow, both white and black.
In fact, people do not hesitate to shell out a couple of lakhs of rupees on floral arrangements and interior decorations, says Ravi Kumar M.N., proprietor of Prasanna Ganapathi Enterprises, who does everything from setting the stage to decorating the entrance and putting up the name board.
âIt is possible to make a simple arrangement for Rs. 5,000. But these days, people want everything special. They want orchids, that too in a specified shade,â he says. The days when chrysanthemums and marigolds made up stage decoration are gone.
âSome of the exotic imported flowers cost between Rs. 20 and Rs. 30 a bunch,â he adds. Hi-tech lighting and fibreglass decorations are in, he adds. There are also those who want rustic-style wooden doors and are willing to pay extra for the âethnic chic.â
While usual wedding cards are priced anywhere between Rs. 15 and Rs. 50 a piece, there are many takers for âdesigner styleâ cards which cost over Rs. 200, says Rajesh Devarajan, who has a printing establishment in Sultanpet.
Prices up by a third
The biggest spending is, however, on food. Raghavendra Aithal, who caters to middle-class clientele, says that minimum food expenses per person per day ranges between Rs. 100 and Rs. 200. âPrices of everything from gas cylinders to pulses have shot up. So has the catering prices by about 30 per cent,â he says.
Expenses on food multiply when it comes to glamour weddings at the Palace Grounds or in five-star hotels. Pankaj Kothari of Sagar Caterers, for example, serves up a lavish spread of 300 to 400 items spread across 28 counters.
It encompasses cuisine from across the world, from South Indian dosas to Mexican tacos and from matka kulfi to chocolate fondue. Whether or not people can eat so much is not the point in Mr. Kothariâs worldview. âFood is not just for eating. It is to be relished by the eye and enjoyed by the heart,â he says in defence of his âartistry.â Not all may be in Mr. Kothariâs league, but the aspiration is to reach there if what is on the menu in an average wedding these days is an indication.
South Indian weddings, which were austere and serving chiroti was regarded the ultimate in luxury, have been through a makeover. An average middle class wedding reception meal involves north Indian food spread across six counters, complete with the paanwala.
There is a pan-Indianisation of wedding rituals too, which adds to the costs. âA traditional South Canara wedding would get over in one hour flat. Now most people have not only added Old Mysorean rituals like varapuje, but also north Indian ceremonies like mehendi,â says Lakshmisha Adiga, a retired bank employee whose daughter got married recently.
While the groomâs party wanted an additional varapuje ritual, the girl wanted a âfun mehendi partyâ with cousins and friends.
âTry building a house, try arranging a wedding,â goes an age old Kannada proverb. The scale of constructions and weddings happening in Bangalore indicate that people have not stopped trying. And harder by the year, price tag notwithstanding.
</b>
Bageshree S.
Hi-tech lighting and fibreglass decorations; inflation has not sobered down the Indian wedding
The cost of a wedding has gone up by 20 per cent
The biggest spending is on food
Costly affair: The austere South Indian wedding now has mehendi parties and tacos and fondues as part of the food spread.
Bangalore: The rate of inflation is inching close to the 13-per cent mark. But the big fat Indian wedding this season â which has begun with the month of Shravana â shows no signs of slimming down. If the scale of weddings being planned is anything to go by, it only shows signs of unabashedly putting on a few more kilos.
According to one estimate, holding a wedding has grown pricier by about 20 per cent this season.
âThere is always an escalation from one year to the next. But this year, it is significantly higher because the price of all commodities and services has shot up,â says Eshwar Bhonsle, who has been running the marriage portal kalyanaindia.com for eight years.
Simple explanation
Mr. Bhonsle has a simple explanation for why skyrocketing prices have not brought any sense of moderation into weddings: âJust as people donât stop driving cars because petrol prices go up, no one cuts down on wedding costs either.â
The cost of a standard Indian wedding can be no less than Rs. 5 lakh now, putting together wedding hall rent, printing of invitation cards, catering service, photographers, orchestra, decorators, guest accommodation and transport.
This is apart from trousseau and jewellery. Those who hire event managers to take charge of everything will have to foot that bill too. But there is no cap on how much it can go up to, depending on the cash flow, both white and black.
In fact, people do not hesitate to shell out a couple of lakhs of rupees on floral arrangements and interior decorations, says Ravi Kumar M.N., proprietor of Prasanna Ganapathi Enterprises, who does everything from setting the stage to decorating the entrance and putting up the name board.
âIt is possible to make a simple arrangement for Rs. 5,000. But these days, people want everything special. They want orchids, that too in a specified shade,â he says. The days when chrysanthemums and marigolds made up stage decoration are gone.
âSome of the exotic imported flowers cost between Rs. 20 and Rs. 30 a bunch,â he adds. Hi-tech lighting and fibreglass decorations are in, he adds. There are also those who want rustic-style wooden doors and are willing to pay extra for the âethnic chic.â
While usual wedding cards are priced anywhere between Rs. 15 and Rs. 50 a piece, there are many takers for âdesigner styleâ cards which cost over Rs. 200, says Rajesh Devarajan, who has a printing establishment in Sultanpet.
Prices up by a third
The biggest spending is, however, on food. Raghavendra Aithal, who caters to middle-class clientele, says that minimum food expenses per person per day ranges between Rs. 100 and Rs. 200. âPrices of everything from gas cylinders to pulses have shot up. So has the catering prices by about 30 per cent,â he says.
Expenses on food multiply when it comes to glamour weddings at the Palace Grounds or in five-star hotels. Pankaj Kothari of Sagar Caterers, for example, serves up a lavish spread of 300 to 400 items spread across 28 counters.
It encompasses cuisine from across the world, from South Indian dosas to Mexican tacos and from matka kulfi to chocolate fondue. Whether or not people can eat so much is not the point in Mr. Kothariâs worldview. âFood is not just for eating. It is to be relished by the eye and enjoyed by the heart,â he says in defence of his âartistry.â Not all may be in Mr. Kothariâs league, but the aspiration is to reach there if what is on the menu in an average wedding these days is an indication.
South Indian weddings, which were austere and serving chiroti was regarded the ultimate in luxury, have been through a makeover. An average middle class wedding reception meal involves north Indian food spread across six counters, complete with the paanwala.
There is a pan-Indianisation of wedding rituals too, which adds to the costs. âA traditional South Canara wedding would get over in one hour flat. Now most people have not only added Old Mysorean rituals like varapuje, but also north Indian ceremonies like mehendi,â says Lakshmisha Adiga, a retired bank employee whose daughter got married recently.
While the groomâs party wanted an additional varapuje ritual, the girl wanted a âfun mehendi partyâ with cousins and friends.
âTry building a house, try arranging a wedding,â goes an age old Kannada proverb. The scale of constructions and weddings happening in Bangalore indicate that people have not stopped trying. And harder by the year, price tag notwithstanding.