Winter chill, 6,000 marriages on the anvil!

Lucknow, Dec 13 (UNI) An estimated 6,000 marriages will be solemnised in the 'City of Nawabs' today even as the mercury continues to register a steep fall.

As the period between April and November this year was not considered auspicious for marriages by most Hindus, such ceremonies are being held in ''bulk'' as the beginning of the favourable period is starting from December.

Hotels, guest houses, marriage halls and banquets are doing brisk business, the concerned families are shelling out extra money to get the required services due to demand.

Those dealing with a typical Hindu marriage paraphernalia viz tents, crockery, decoration, fire-crackers, lighting, brass band and horse-driven 'buggi', besides caterers are charging customers at a premium.

The city-based Disk Jockeys also never had it so good. All DJs are booked and are making do with their assistants to cater to the high demand, that is bursting at the seams.

Garments and jewellery shopsare also doing brisk business.

All qualified 'pandits' had been booked in advance and the prominent ones are solemnising 2-3 marriages in a day.

Thousands of marriages were also solemnised in Lucknow on December 10, which had led to a lot of confusion and road blocks at various intersections in the city.

The city shopping centres and arcades are choc-a-block with shoppers.

With December 13 ringing wedding bells for quite a few singletons here, several people will be running from one marriage venue to another to keep there date with the blessed ones.

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