Petty traders suffer as weddings scale down

MUMBAI: The hangover of demonetisation continues to cloud wedding celebrations. Families are cancelling or scaling down festivities, unable to rustle up the ready cash required.

Satish Fernandes, manager of Hotel Sun N Sand, says, “Low income professionals like ghodiwallas, mehndiwalis, or the person who ties the turban for the baraat, are suffering badly. Any wedding party needs to keep Rs 1 lakh in cash for small expenses. But where is the money?”

Thane resident Ashay Tulalwar who is getting married this week finds costs have escalated. “The prices offered initially were on condition that we paid cash. But now that we are paying by cheque, the venue, caterer and decorator are charging us service tax, shooting up rates by 15%,” he said.

A Gujarati businessman from Sion whose son will wed next week called off the DJ night as well as the evening reception. “We had to bear the cancellation charges of the banquet hall, but the caterer demanded full cash payment. Even alcohol for the DJ party needed to be bought,” he said. He added that it was better to call off the events than face the embarrassment of having a low-key event.

Sukanya Shirodkar

of Kalachowkie will marry Sagar Chavan at Tulip Apna Bazar hall in Dadar on December 24. Her sister Shefali said, “Just a week before demonetisation, we had withdrawn a substantial amount of cash for petty expenses. After that, all of us stood in queue for a week to deposit those old notes. Even now, the couple is spending time at banks rather than courting as they should be.”

The promised withdrawal of Rs 2.5 lakh remains on paper. “Banks simply do not have the cash to give. We try every single week but have not managed more than Rs 15,000 at one go. Friends and relatives are lining up at banks and ATMs,” Shefali said. The trousseau store has asked them to collect the garments once they are ready with the balance amount. “Only after we collect the saris can we purchase accessories. The fun of having a marriage in the household is absent. We are trying to laugh off the situation because we are anxious my father will fall sick with worry,” Shefali said.

Wealthier households are not inordinately worried, though. At a destination wedding party in Udaipur, the anxiety was absent. “Everything was paid for well in advance, about five months ago,” said a family member.