Unprecedented wedding during Covid-19
Wedding is a must for both genders not from physical point of view but social as well and the hard fact which simply cannot be discounted, ignored, overlooked and refuted by anyone whosoever and whatsoever is that men women have wedded from the day when 1st human was born and the process so initiated then still continues with same animation, ardor, enthusiasm, excitement, fervor, heat and warmth irrespective of the topographical locations of men and women concerned, but yet one way or the other, Corona pandemic has dampened weddings to a very great extent and lot of parents of men and women who, after going through many hectic, long and trifling questions and answer sessions, had no alternative but to defer locking up their children matrimonially and wait till when the dust settles down but again it is very painful for them ever since the ground realities are still very much shrouded with ambiguity, bewilderment, confusion and mystification as to when the life comes back to normal as before to wed their children.
The nerves breaking and heart sinking situation is being discussed, tackled and thrashed out in the paragraphs hereinafter from variety of angles and spectrum to dig deep as to what had actually happened and to what extent Corona has hit hard marriages of many of our beloved sons and daughters in our beloved Pakistan.
The worst hit are those females in particular, though males are not ignored either, who during the period of January to March 2020 were on the margin of falling under the classification of a teenager and they had already taken off from their offices, some even took bank loans, bought new wedding dresses, issued wedding invitation cards to their loved ones, booked hotels and wedding halls to host wedding parties. Some boys had gone to the extent that they even obtained visas, booked hotels and flights to fly out on life remembering bliss, delectation, happiness for undertaking honey moon exciting and igniting trip during the same three months’ period of time but ever since very much astonishingly, unexpectedly the devil Corona has cropped up, they under the given peculiar circumstances, on one hand had no option but to cancel their whole celebrations for an indefinite period of time and, on the other hand, they had to pocket significant monetary loss as well due to all sort of cancellations.
The parents of the would-be-couples, waited whole year of 2020 and even so many months in 2021 as well, but factually speaking, though ardor, depth, extremity and intensity of Corona had died down to some extent but still the atmosphere was not Corona free either, in any case, which killed, or more correctly, butchered a few males and females because due to such long delay and uncertainty, their parents of some of them had to embark upon the mission and did succeed to find new life partners which means that the mutual understanding course undertaken by such parents before the emergence of Corona, had been wasted as they had to forget the old mutual relationship developed so far and instead start again right from the scratch which is nothing short of piercing dagger in the chest but what to do otherwise is a truly baffling question.
No denying the hard fact, though very much heart sinking and nerves breaking to be honest, for those girls who were teenagers during first three months of 2019, but very much ironically they are no more teenagers now and, instead, they have entered the arena of twenties whereby those males who want none but a teenager girl to wed are no more attractive towards such a lot and their parents are to toil hard all over again to tap the compatible, suitable and willing males life partners to wed their daughters under the given unfavorable changed circumstances.
My goodness! Our wedding is not an easy task, rather on the contra, it is very time consuming and even irritating process to be blunt simply because one is to know in depth personal details of the person concerned like his / her age, education, height, weight, complexion, mother language, sect, job title, salary (if applicable) and full details about the parents and siblings etc and once such like information appeals to the other party then the interested parents discuss the modalities of the wedding. However, due to pandemic, now the priorities have altogether changed and the parents of many would-be-husbands and would-be-wives had to ask very bluntly and nakedly quite an odd question to the concerned party if the entire family members living under one roof are fully vaccinated or not. Once their vaccination certificates are seen, then only they take it up quite seriously and resultantly, both the parties move on accordingly but, God forbid, if the girl or the boy is not fully vaccinated then the discussions come to an abrupt end and the concerned parties again start from zero instead of taking lifelong risk to wed with someone who is not vaccinated.
Thanks Almighty Allah, eventually both the parents did succeed, after battling very hard in finding most suitable life partner for their son and daughter and that is why both the parents have mutually agreed upon for a date to host wedding festivity on a certain place and, therefore, under the prevailing Covid-19 atmosphere, very unique and typical type of invitation card is printed where the honorable invitees, both vaccinated or otherwise, are not at all to gather behind four walls as it had been practiced since time immemorial rather, on the contra, invitees are very well explained as to what logistics they are supposed to adhere to and how to do as per the invitation card. Bank account is mentioned on the card for those who, for one reason or the other, cannot physically attend bless the luckiest couple on the evening but yet they do wish to discharge their moral obligation towards the family through remitting money in the said bank account.
Couple will be in attendance from 7pm to 10pm at point C. Invitees are to drive to point A to drop their visiting cards in the round glass dome placed on a stand therein to mark their presence. Drive to point B, park the car and go to point B1 and greet the couple who are standing 3 feet apart at point C. Stand at point B1 and take a photo with the couple meaning by that you are in front and the couple is in the background. Drive to point D and drop off your gifts for the couple. Drive to point D1 to pick up your food package. Drive to point E which leads you to the exit where a big THANK YOU float can be found marking the end of the festivities for the ever happiest wedding day.
Parents of the bride are no more burdened with to give away dowry either in cash or kind as mostly it had been the case in the past except but that yet a few unavoidable necessities namely a double bed and two single beds are to be provided facilitating the newly married couple to use the one which suits the best as per the instructions of National Command and Control Center (NCOCC) headed by federal minister Asad Umer so that both the partners are safe and sound devoid of catching any virus whatsoever. Parents are also to give a thermometer, digital is preferred, along with Corona testing kits, two leaflets telling as to what are the symptoms if one is inflicted with the virus and the precautions to be taken to combat the virus. Of course, a list of doctors, clinics and hospitals certified and specialized in dealing with Covid-19 is to also to be provided for the couple. Packets of face masks, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, hand towels and 2 meters’ distance stickers simply cannot be forgotten to be given to the couple.
I can say with full confidence duly punctuated with conviction that if all the steps as enumerated above are strictly followed, the parents have definitely not only saved lot of money but also avoided undergoing great hassle and bustle of hosting wedding reception and once the news of such wedding is spread around, there is a great possibility that many more parents will jump into the arena to copy it and who knows may be eventually it replaces the codified centuries’ old wedding arrangements in any case. All those who luckily have attended such like wedding will very happily and proudly tell their children, relatives, friends, neighbors, colleagues and, therefore, such unprecedented wedding will be remembered at least till the next century, if not more, I very strongly feel and believe.
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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/ Kuwait / +965-66699728 / zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com
My presence: 1943-1947 India + 1947-1976 Pakistan + 1976-1978 Saudia Arabia + in Kuwait since 1978 and continue here till allowed
MA Political Science Department, PU, Lahore 1966 + LL B, PU Law College, Lahore 1969 (should have passed in 1968 but failed in Previous as I opened my own Zaidi Educational Academy, Lahore) DLL (Diploma Labor Laws), PU Law College, Lahore 1972 + DTL (Diploma Taxation Laws), PU Law College, Lahore 1973
None lives as Iqbal Hadi Zaidi and none even died as Iqbal Hadi Zaidi so Google my name to see me with VIPs including members of ruling Al Sabah family.
I am only English poet in Kuwait who recited 5 poems on HH Sheikh Sabah Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait + 6 poems on Kuwait and all recited at KTV 2 (Eng channel) and a few of them can be listened at net, if interested. Some articles are also available on net.