A meeting at Lodara decided on a fine of Rs 51,000 and social boycott of families that flout the ban on alcohol at weddings and ‘mundan’ ceremonies
DEHRADUN/UTTARKASHI: Villages in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region have begun enforcing new wedding norms – limiting women to wearing only three gold ornaments and banning alcohol – as part of a community-led effort “to bring simplicity and equality back into marriage rituals”. The rules, passed recently by village panchayats in Chakrata’s tribal belt and in Uttarkashi’s Dunda block, aim to reduce wedding expenses, end displays of wealth and protect families from the rising costs of social expectation.In Chakrata’s Kandhad and Indroli villages, the panchayat ruled that women would be permitted to wear only a nose pin, mangalsutra and earrings at weddings. Families that violate the restriction will be fined Rs 50,000, residents said. The resolution, which was passed unanimously, followed informal discussions among women who said the rising cost of gold and social expectations around ornaments were placing a disproportionate burden on poorer households.”For weddings, women are invited for a community meal – it’s part of our tradition before the marriage of the elder son,” said Leeko Devi, 45, from Kandhad. “But gold had turned that into a burden. Every year, the pressure grew – more ornaments, more judgment. Now, we’ve decided we’ll all wear the same three pieces, and that’s enough.”After the ornament rule was adopted, attention turned to liquor. “We’ve started talking about banning liquor too,” Devi said. “It doesn’t add anything meaningful to our ceremonies. It just turns weddings into shows of wealth.”That conversation turned into a decision in Lodara village of Uttarkashi’s Dunda block, where the gram sabha passed a resolution earlier this week to ban alcohol at weddings and ‘mundan’ ceremonies. A fine of Rs 51,000 was approved for violations, and families that serve alcohol will face social boycott.”No one from our village will attend a wedding where liquor is served,” said Kavita Butola, Lodara’s village head. “The decision came after meetings involving the Mahila Mangal Dal and Yuvak Mangal Dal. People are tired of weddings becoming more about spending than the rituals themselves.”Residents said these steps were necessary to address growing social pressure on families to organise weddings that display wealth, whether through jewellery, catering or alcohol. “Ornaments used to symbolise happiness,” said Arjun Singh, a village elder in Kandhad. “Now they symbolise anxiety. People don’t sleep at night before their daughter’s wedding, wondering how they’ll afford the jewellery and gifts.”Tikam Singh, 56, who supported both resolutions, said the changes were long overdue. “There was music, some food, and the rituals. Now it’s DJs, imported liquor, staged photos. This isn’t us. These rules bring the ceremony back to its centre.”
