Srikakulam: Weddings can wait till Sravanam

Srikakulam: Come summer, almost all the marriage halls are booked with the auspicious dates announced by the purohits and brides and bridegrooms would be looking forward for the wedding bells. And of course, the people would look forward for sumptuous dinners.

All this changed with the coronavirus which is virtually making people shiver with fear. Hardly anyone thinks of the proposal of the marriage. The wedding season starts particularly in April and May or Chaitram and Vaisakham as per Telugu calendar. Purohits find auspicious dates in these months since they are the most suitable for marriages.

This year too, a number of marriages are fixed on 8, 14, 15, 16, 18, 25 and 26 in April and 3, 6, 13, 15 and other dates in May. In these dates, about 2,000 marriages are scheduled to be conducted in both the urban and rural areas of Srikakulam district. In the wake of coronavirus, all these functions are postponed as no one is unable to predict when spreading of the virus will stop.

"My marriage has been fixed for April 16 but now I wish to conduct it at least during August this year or in the month of Sravanam," T Dhilleswara Rao, a bridegroom of Srikakulam city said. Starting of business units, housewarming functions are also postponed in the wake of crisis. Most of the functions have been postponed to Sravana Maasam i.e. August.

"I fixed Muhurthams for about 25 marriages, 10 new housewarming and launch of businesses on different dates in April. They all are postponed to Sravana Maasam," noted priest and astrologer in Srikakulam city Pannala Narasimha Murthy told The Hans India. As a result of postponement of marriages, the business activities at function halls have been affected.

Several hundreds of people who depend upon the catering services, transport, flowers lost their livelihood. Singers with the music parties, lighting and sound systems and decorators and staff are losing their earning considerably. "Most of the marriage parties, new houses and commercial establishment owners are compelled to postpone functions for the forthcoming Sravana Maasam," said the priest and astrologer T Narasinga Rao.