Every now and then we have ceremonies of marriages, engagements, opening of new businesses, births of children, returns from pilgrimage awards on successes and achievements, match wins, and so on. These are happy occasions on which we celebrate some changes or successes in life. It is all very proper to have gatherings of friends and relations on the ceremonies that we perform together. What is objectionable is the fanfare, show and unnecessary expenditure on them. It is strange that we do not share true feelings of joy and satisfaction with our friends and relations in frank talks and open laughter. We rather try to make an extravagant show of our clothes,possessions,and property on these occasions.
It is at the time of marriage that we witnesses the greatest and highest expenditures. If the girl’s parents are rich they like to hold grand functions on the occasion. Huge tents are erected or spacious marriage halls are hired with costly decorations to please, impress and satisfy the guests especially, the boys and the general public. The marriage ceremony is preceded and followed by unnecessary functions, gatherings and parties. Even the restrictions on the dinner or dishes to be served to the guests are disregarded. Separate hidden arrangements are often made away from the venue of the marriage to serve a sumptuous dinner consisting of several courses.
The marriage ceremony which should be simple and inexpensive according to our religious customs and traditions is made an occasion of display of dowry, music, lighting and presents from the guests and the wealth and resources of the bride and bridegroom. So is the pomp and show at the walima function or ceremony, the entertainment on the second day of marriage arranged by the bridegroom.
The other ceremonies religious in general held by our different classes are also as expensively arranged as possible for example the male child’s birth ceremony is celebrated with uncalled for pomp and show. The opening ceremony of a shop or organization is an occasion of highly wasteful. The ceremony of taking political office by a winning candidate in elections is celebrated showy and wastefully. The graduation ceremonies or of declaration of examination results or of winning scholarships are occasions of uncalled for pomp show. We should control expenditure on ceremonies. The money thus saved can be spent constructively on books and cultural activities like study tours and surveys.
By Iram Shahzadi
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