The wedding industry is in the doldrums but the Sensex slowdown or the subprime effect has nothing to do with it.
No ‘muhurat’ for next 3 months, wedding industry hit
MUMBAI: The wedding industry is in the doldrums but the Sensex slowdown or the subprime effect has nothing to do with it. With planetary alignments being unfavourable, there’s no muhurat for marriages in May. Or the next three months.
Sudhakar Karve and Suneeta Joshi, who had planned to tie the knot next month, are disappointed after their family priest advised them against the wedding. The planets have also brought to a halt the wheels of the entire wedding industry. This includes over 10,000 service providers in Mumbai engaged in the business of renting out banquet halls, caterers, flower shops, jewellery, honeymoon organisers, bridal saree drapers and hair stylists .
“Generally, marriage halls are overbooked in May. This year we haven’t received a single booking for that month,” says management in-charge Siraj Rangara of Rashik Smruti Hall at Goregaon.
Says Siddhivinayak Temple priest Ajit Joshi, “According to our panchang (calender) this year, May is not auspicious to solemnise weddings. The planetary conjunction is not right.”
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh too is feeling the impact of cosmic forces.
With marriages advanced to April, ministers and MLAs have been rushing to their constituencies to attend functions. As a result, the current budget session saw less than 50% attendance in the budget session.
“If there is a wedding in any MLA’s constituency he or she cannot skip the event. A politician has to ensure good public relations,” explains member of state legislature council (MLC) Pasha Patel. Not surprising then that ministers and MLAs risked criticism in the House to keep their vote-bank happy.
Now, everyone is hoping November will bring a change in their fortunes. Most big jewellers have also started taking orders for bridal jewellery for weddings that will take place in November-December.
“During the marriage season the demand for jewellery goes up by 100%. But in the absence of weddings for the next couple of months, we are hoping to make good our losses during festivals such as ‘akshaytritiya’ which falls on May 7,” says K Deepak of Chintamani Jewellers at Prabhadevi.
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