BHOPAL: The coronavirus-induced night curfew would hit the business of marriage gardens and halls in the state capital. The owners are estimating 40 per cent loss in business during the marriage season that is beginning from Wednesday.
There are around 200 open marriage gardens in the city and the ban on any movement after 10 pm and the restrictions on the number of guests at receptions and other gatherings would hit the marriage gardens and hall owners hard. Following a sudden spurt in coronavirus cases, the government has imposed night curfew from 10 pm until 6 am the next morning in some parts of the state including the state capital.
While due to limited muhurat, the number of marriages would be three times less this season, and as the number of guests is also restricted, the families are now opting for hotels to marriage gardens and banquet halls. People who had earlier booked the gardens and halls are now cancelling the bookings as they are keeping the marriage function a family affair in wake of pandemic. Cancellation of booking has also dealt a big blow to the business of these venues. Even the government has put restrictions on the number of guests in the wedding receptions.
Ravi Borani, owner of Gulshan Swagat marriage garden at Lalghati said the Muhurat (auspicious occasion) is already three times less this year. Many people are cancelling their bookings. Out of 9 bookings, three are cancelled citing the restrictions on the number of guests. The families no longer need huge halls and sprawling gardens for holding reception as the guests number has been cut down drastically, he rued.
Besides, the families still wanting lavish weddings with huge gatherings are postponing their function to and are thus cancelling their bookings.
If only 200 guests are allowed in a wedding then why would we not opt for a temple or a hotel, argued a client who came to cancel the booking, said Borani.
A manager of a Shadi Garden in Lalghati said this year the muhurat of marriages is only for ten days. Previous year, we booked for 30 days as the marriage muhurat continued for a month, said the manager, adding that, this year the loss is three times.
Besides, the night-curfew now has added to our woes, as a very few families are ready to shift their wedding timing to morning hours, he said. The families who want lavish weddings are cancelling their bookings. Also, he said instead of marriage gardens, the families are now preferring hotels where a limited number of guests can be accommodated easily.
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