Khap bans villagers from having feasts at marriage parties

Chandigarh, Aug 23: As if their rules against marriage outside the gotra was not enough the khap panchayat in Chandigarh has come out with a new ban on wedding celebrations.

With an eye on reducing wedding expenses, a 'khap panchayat' of 12 villages in Bhiwani district of Haryana has imposed a ban on its residents from having lunch or dinner at marriage parties.

The 'khap panchayat' (caste council) took this decision at its meeting held at Kadma village on the Jhhoju-Dadri road in Bhiwani district on Wednesday.

The panchayat presided over by former village head Randhir Singh also prohibited organisation of 'Kaaj' ceremony in the villages stating that it is not reasonable to serve sweets and other eatables to villagers after death of elderly persons.

'Kaaj' is a ritual which is performed by most people in Haryana when their elderly kin die a natural death. "It will be great help to people of the girl's family if villagers except relatives of the girls do not take food in wedding party," the Panchayat stated.

The restriction will not only reduce the wedding expenses but also check the crowd-like situation at weddings, Randhir said in support of the diktat. The panchayat held that the villagers will be able to attend the marriage and help the girl's family in the wedding tasks but would not have the food.

With the ban on having wedding food, people of girl's family will not have to bother about the food issue and would be able to concentrate on other tasks of the weddings, Kadma village Sarpanch Balwan Singh said.

PTI