Amid 2nd wave, big fat wedding biz hit yet again

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 10

Sham Singh, 50, is selling vegetables at Sanaur market and is barely able to make both ends meet.

Till 2019 pandemic arrival, he was earning almost 60-70,000 a month as a flower decorator. The current wedding season from April 20 to May 30 has again been hit due to lockdown restrictions.

From selling vegetables to working as a daily wager, the impact of successive lockdowns during wedding season has hit the big fat Punjabi wedding industry hard. The industry has suffered losses and thousands of those involved in the business have either returned to their states or are selling vegetables to survive.

“For past over a year, I have managed only three functions and now I earn daily to feed my family of three. Last month, my daughter contracted Covid and I spent all my savings on her. This has been one of the worst phases of life,” Singh said.

“Mounting debts and no work has forced many of my fellow workers to return to their villages in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” he said.

The re-imposition of night curfew and limit of 10 persons at weddings in the state, has again hit the wedding industry. Already thousands of functions have either been cancelled/ postponed or have taken place with minimal celebrations.

The Marriage Palace Association said it had suffered huge losses due to the cancellation or postponement of functions during the past four seasons and now, with the fresh restrictions, they were forced to cut down on manpower. “This will eventually lead to more job losses as limited guests means fewer men needed,” a stakeholder said.

Prince Sidhu, a wedding planner and caterer, said: “From over 50 functions per season, I managed barely 10 since April 2020. Though last year I paid my labour and cooks, I had to spare them now as I was unable to pay a contingent of 36 persons without work.”