The great Indian lavish bash

The Delhi Congress Legislative Party's recent decision to exhort citizens to avoid opulence and extravagance at social functions is a welcome step. What else, the lawmakers have shown willingness to lead by example.

Anyone who has seen a Delhi wedding would tell you about the elaborate arrangements— huge pandals, lavish lighting, too many dishes, a mile and a half long baarat processions, deafening firecrackers, loud music, luxury cars, and what not. And yes, how could we forget the long list of VIP guests. The latest addition to the list is the trend of giving expensive gifts to the guests. All these, just for pampering one's ego!

The 'great Indian wedding' is not anymore an occasion where two individual exchange vows to stand by each other through thick and thin. Nor is it an occasion for mere family gathering. This pure affair has been twisted into circus for flaunting wealth and connections, forging business relations, and so on.

Once I talked of austerity to a pot-bellied Delhi businessman. “Oh, what if it causes inconvenience to people around the venue. They should wait and watch because it's my turn now.”

My turn? Then whose turn was it earlier? “Well, it was those foolish socialists who talked of restraints and savings, of sharing wealth and charity, those nincompoops! Enough is enough. Now I have money and I will blow it up in the way I want.”

And what of those starving millions in this very country— our country on whose “security” the government spends billions of dollars yearly and we don't grudge? “It's the government's responsibility to feed them not mine.” By the way, are your political connections just for showing off or is there anything of what they call undue advantage in certain matters? “I funded his party ticket. Now shut up you moron and let me attend my VIP guests.”

Although the Indian psyche in general is steeped into religion and religious values, nobody seems to give a damn to the fact that austerity is considered a virtue in almost all the religions! The religious fervour is reserved only for the occasions when a place of worship is to be removed from public land.

Anyway. It's good that some sensible thing dawned on our rulers, but can the nouveau riche of the city be persuaded so easily to abstain from their addictive indulgence? I am skeptical.