October is undoubtedly India’s favourite month of the year. October brings with it an air of festivity, expectations, renewal of family bonds, gifts, goodies, happiness and, in short, all the good things that come with celebrating the much awaited festival of lights- Diwali. For the uninitiated, Diwali marks the victory of Good over Evil and of Light over Darkness. So beloved is this festival that brings Indians from all four corners of the country together as one and the sight of lamps flickering coyly in all houses is a treat for the eyes.
Fashion haunts, retail shops, jewellery outlets and even caterers eagerly await this season because of the huge demand for all things shining, sparkling and yummy. Wedding planners and eager families on the other hand eagerly await the onset of Devutthana Ekdashi which actually marks the beginning of the traditional Hindu wedding season till the following January- February. Mythology has it that this festival is celebrated to awake the mighty Lord Vishnu from his sleep. Besides, Devutthana Ekdashi also brings Chaturmas (a period during which pious Hindus keep a religious vow of silence or abstinence) to an official end. Not surprisingly, any ceremony of importance is avoided during this four month period.
So what does the festive season mean for families who are going to celebrate a grand wedding in the family? For one, it means a huge spike in the purchase of gold and jewellery everywhere, especially because young brides are expected to have a minimum of 50 sovereigns of gold as they begin a new life. Dhanteras has traditionally been considered an auspicious day for purchasing new utensils, silver coins and gold jewellery. Since, it falls on October 21st this year; jewellery stores in particular are gearing up for a great business season. Car dealerships also register a record number of sales at this time of the year and going by estimations, this year is slated to be no different. However, the mad rush for farmhouse and luxury hotel bookings by reputed families also translates into traffic management nightmares for traffic cops who often have to deal with handling multiple wedding traffic woes, effectively. In a country that witnesses more than 20,000 weddings on a single day in the capital state, this is no small feat.
We’ll be featuring many more articles on the upcoming wedding season where we bring you the must haves and the must-nots in fashion, makeup, jewellery and in short; everything that has a prominent place in a bride’s world.
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