The year 2018 seemed to be the year of marriages, for both celebrities and royalty. Social media was flooded with the pictures of these weddings, including the royal wedding in the UK and those of famous Bollywood celebrities. Each photo received thousands, sometimes millions of likes.
So much was spent on venues, invitations and attires. Everything was much like a fairytale. It was all so fascinating and appealing, which everyone dreams about!
But, the question is, are such lavish and expensive marriages required? Can it become an inspiration for the average person?
People are already spending extra to match the lifestyles of the well-off people. Everything seems to have become a business. Today’s generation is already misled with glamour through social media. It’s a boon with a curse. Fantasy takes over reality, and I don’t think it’s sensible.
When everyone is talking about celebrity weddings, I remembered the wedding of Wipro chairman Azim Premji’s son’s wedding. Premji is one of India’s richest men, according to Forbes magazine and for his son’s wedding, his wife requested the guests to donate the gifts to a charity that builds schools for girls. I read reports that the total amount was used to build 250 schools.
I believe that this is the best use of money in weddings. A lot of issues in the world need attention and we should look at charities dedicated to caring about farmers’ debt, girls’ education and those affected by natural calamities. We need to share our earnings and savings.
We should voluntarily participate in building a world, which is a peaceful place to live in. Billions of rupees if used wisely can help a number of needy.
- The reader is a blogger based in Abu Dhabi.
