As the mercury has dropped, the wedding season is in its full swing in the city ahead of Muharram ul Haram and businesses related to it are flourishing. Nearly every wedding hall is booked while those who were unable to do so on time are busy arranging their functions in parks and grounds. Some even did not spare the streets and have erected tents to serve the purpose. Traditionally, people avoid arranging weddings during the month of Muharram, hence just a few days ahead of it, a large number of weddings are held. “All our functions are booked before Sunday or Monday, which are the days Muharram is expected to start,” said a wedding hall owner.
Normally, the trend sets in right after Eidul Adha and the 20 days before Muharram remain the highlight of wedding season throughout the year.
“These are our busiest days in the entire year and we are fully booked till Saturday,” said Mehmood Mughal a banquet hall owner located on College Road. He said every year the wedding season is at peak during these days. However, as soon Muharram starts, the number of weddings decreases drastically and weddings are seldom held in Safar, another Islamic month which starts after Muharram.
Other businesses related to marriages are also making hay while the sun shines. These businesses include catering, rent-a-car, music groups, cooking, beauty parlours, decorators, tailors, boutiques, movie makers and photographers “I was booked for many functions in advance and now I have closed bookings,” said a beauty parlor owner Bushra Javed.
A photographer Musadiq Hussain said he was so busy that he had promised to deliver photographs of all marriage functions he was covering, during Muharram. “I am over-burdened and do not have enough time to develop photos therefore I have informed all my clients that I would deliver their pictures after two weeks,” he added. A tailor Zahid Hussain said due to overburden, he had outsourced a number of bookings. He said his business was flourishing during Eid days and wedding seasons. However, citizens have showed displeasure over the closure of roads and street because of marriages. “The City District Government should stop such functions which results in roads being blocked,” said a citizen Jamsheed Latif adding that it caused huge inconvenience to commuters.
