Arriving on a horse for your baraat? Shantanu Naidu's viral video raises questions about animal cruelty in Indian weddings

Weddings in India are so much more than one-day ceremonies, they are like festivals celebrated over five to six days. Amid the celebrations, the groom's entry procession, or ‘Baraat,’ is one of the most talked-about aspects of any marriage. For this, the groom’s side often chooses his arrival on a horse, as a sight of pomp, show and charm.

But do we ever think about how those horses even reach there?

An eye- opening video post, which PETA India also collaborated on, shed light on the harsh reality behind handling these graceful creatures.

Are you promoting a bloodbath by arriving on a horse for your baraat?

Using a horse in a wedding may seem grand and traditional, but strong ethical and practical reasons exist to avoid it.

The video posted by @socktalks.tv on Instagram, shows late Ratan Tata's former assistant, Shantanu Naidu discussing the heart wrenching realities of treatment meted out to horses.

In the video, Naidu says, firstly, horses are often forced to stand for long hours on hot concrete, in crowded or noisy environments, and while wearing heavy decorative gear, which can cause them physical stress, overheating, and pain. Their feet are not suitably adapted to stand on hot concrete and the inflicted pain can feel like a constant ache or burn, similar to what you would feel if your own nails were being pulled.


Secondly, weddings can be chaotic. Loud music, flashing lights, crackers bursting, crowds, and tight spaces can panic a horse. A frightened animal may try to move or pull back. When the animal tries to move, handlers use sharp tools, spikes, or tight reins in its mouth to control it, leading to cuts, bruises, or even broken teeth.

Some trainers attach metal spikes or harsh bits so that even a small movement causes pain, which is a form of cruelty.

Just for show? Where’s humanity?

The “ritual” of using a horse purely for show can send the wrong message, that it is acceptable to harm or stress an animal just to make a human event look more impressive. In many places, horses used for weddings live in ongoing poor conditions, and are not fed properly hours before the event so the horse doesn’t excrete and make the surroundings dirty.


Naidu concludes the video by saying, in India lucky are only those horses that die an early death, reflecting the harsh reality of what these graceful beasts go through just for the sake of representation.