By: Ishtiyaq Kar
Email: ahmad.ishtiyaq973@gmail.com
Photo: Basit Mushtaq, Zool Production
Srinagar, Sep 13 (KINS): As autumn descends upon the Kashmir Valley, the much-anticipated wedding season has begun, with hundreds of marriages slated to take place over the next two and a half months.
In Srinagar, the streets are alive with the sight of decorated houses, signaling families readying for the joyous occasion.
As per the news agency KINS, markets are abuzz with activity as people shop for wedding essentials like suits, gold, and spices, fueling the local economy during this festive period.
The hustle is especially noticeable in Srinagar’s bustling markets. “The demand for wedding outfits, especially traditional attire, has soared,” said a local tailor in Lal Chowk. “We’ve been working around the clock to keep up with the orders.”
For rural Kashmir, November marks the preferred time for weddings, as agricultural activities like fruit harvesting and rice cutting occupy villagers earlier in the season.
The harvest concludes just in time for families to turn their attention to nuptial preparations, ensuring that weddings in the villages carry the same grandeur as those in the cities.
A distinctive feature of Kashmiri weddings is the lavish feast known as Wazwan. Up to 20 to 30 courses, including a variety of meat dishes, are meticulously prepared by professional chefs called wazas, who cook over firewood throughout the night.
Meat consumption, particularly mutton, is extensive during these celebrations, with hundreds of kilos prepared for the wedding guests.
“Weddings are not just a family event, they’re a community event here,” said Mohammad Aslam from Khaniyar, who is currently preparing for his daughter’s wedding.
“Thanks to the government’s marriage halls, we don’t have to worry about the space issue. It’s been a huge relief, especially for families like ours, where accommodating guests at home is a challenge,” he told KINS.
The introduction of government-built marriage halls across the Valley has provided a much-needed solution for families struggling with space constraints.
However, the growing popularity of these halls has led to high demand, with many families calling for the construction of more facilities.
“The government should build more marriage halls so that everyone can benefit,” Aslam added.
“These facilities have made hosting large ceremonies much easier, and we need more of them across the region.”
Beyond the families, Kashmir’s wedding season also provides significant economic opportunities for local vendors, decorators, and caterers. Decorators are in high demand to transform venues into dream-like spaces, while chefs earn a substantial part of their yearly income during this period.
“Weddings are a lifeline for us,” said a local waza. “We get most of our business during this season, and it sustains us through the year.” One of the local decorators said.
“The demand for meat during weddings is enormous,” said Nasir, a local butcher in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area. “We sell hundreds of kilos of mutton each day to families preparing for the Wazwan feast. It’s our busiest time of the year,” he told KINS.
Besides the meat industry, beauty salons and grooming parlour experience a wedding season boom. The quest to look one’s best, particularly for brides and grooms, but also for relatives and guests, drives a significant surge in demand for beauty services.
Brides-to-be flock to salons for bridal makeup, intricate henna designs, and hair styling, ensuring they look stunning for their special day.
“Our bookings are full for the next two months,” said Firdous, the owner of a popular salon in Srinagar.
“We get brides, grooms, and even wedding guests coming in for makeovers, hair treatments, and facials. The wedding season is not only about the couple but everyone attending wanting to look their best.”
Salons and grooming centers, many of which offer traditional Kashmiri bridal makeup, often extend their services to the groom’s side as well. Special grooming packages, including haircuts, beard styling, and skin treatments, are tailored specifically for the groom and his family members.
Meanwhile, apart from the traditional Kashmiri weddings, Dal Lake in Srinagar has become an increasingly popular destination for weddings, especially for outsiders seeking a unique and picturesque venue.
With its serene waters, houseboats, and the backdrop of the majestic Himalayas, Dal Lake offers a dream-like setting for couples looking to tie the knot in an exotic location.
Many non-locals across India are now choosing to celebrate their special day here, often opting for intimate ceremonies on houseboats or beautifully decorated shikaras or hotels.
This trend has added a new dimension to Kashmir’s wedding season, bringing in more business for local vendors, event planners, and boat owners, while showcasing the Valley’s beauty to the world.(KINS)
