'Weddings should be less elaborate affair in India'

New Delhi, Sep 23: Indian

should be less elaborate affair with simple functions over tea and snacks, feels Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath.

Speaking to PTI, Tirath said she was contemplating initiating a discussion so that weddings which are expensive and time-consuming affairs can be made simpler.

"It is essentially the 'phere' that is the most important ritual in marriage ceremonies, so why can't we have a simple function where over tea and snacks some of the closest relatives be witness to these ceremonies," she asked.

At present, parents of girls were under a kind of obligation to make wide-ranging arrangements which not only create a lot of financial burden on the girls' families but also cause other problems.

"What is happening is that it has become a custom and families are forced to spend heavily. Then there are pandals, which are raised in the middle of a road or a lane which create problems. On auspicious occasions like 'Akshay Tritya' when there are many marriages, there are huge traffic jams," she said.

The minister said she was not against people celebrating marriages, but would prefer minimising the huge spending which is associated with weddings. "I am not against anyone celebrating and we cannot stop anyone either. But people can hold receptions in an organised and proper manner where guests can come," Tirath said.

"We have an unfavourable sex ratio and this is also because there is a perception among many sections that they will have to spend during the girl's marriage. If marriages become simpler, this can change," she claimed.

Tirath supported her argument by saying that during the 60s marriages were regulated and involved much less spending. "I can say this because my own sister was married during that time and it was a very austere function," Tirath said adding, she was giving a serious thought to the idea and when and how it could be implemented was still to be figured out.

PTI