(Uttarakhand’s century’s old “Sanatani Sanskars” and Wedding Vows finds reflection in Pahadi Weddings)
Intro:
The magnificent Kumaon Himalayas in India’s Uttarakhand has since ancient times been favoured as a region in which Yoga found fulfillment. The gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are believed to dwell here as the region is blessed with celestial bliss, emanating from the Himalayas. Leave alone the Rishis of yore; great minds of contemporary times like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Steve Jobs, Uma Thurman, Sunyata Baba aka Alfred Sorensen and others have spent a lot of time here, uplifting themselves spiritually and contributing immensely towards human civilization.
The Himalayas, which is all of 2, 500 kms. in length and between 350 to 150 kms. in breadth, is the greatest mountain range on Planet Earth; its rarefied beauty and cultural diversity is legendary. The region’s folklore and mythology have drawn the attention of not just adventure seekers and anthropologists; but also of humanity’s ever evolving saga of love, sacredness and bliss.
The Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand, also referred to as the “Devbhumi” in local parlance, off late, has shot into prominence as one of Resurgent India’s much preferred places for weddings.
Grandeur of the Himalayas:
Imagine the ethereal setting – Nanda Devi at (7,817 m),Kamet at (7,756 m), Trisul at (7,120 m) Maiktoli at 6,803 m, Devistan at 6,678 m, Devtoli at 6,788 m,Tharkot at 6,099 m, Nanda Devi East at (7,430 m), Chaukhamba at (7,140 m) vying for attention! In terms of sheer grandeur and magnificence, this stupendous Kumaoni mountain pageant will leave even the Swiss Alps behind! The scintillating mountain panorama of Kumaon is best summed up by Swami Vivekanand thus – “These Mountains are associated with the best memories of our race…where Rishis lived, where philosophy was born…”
The reason behind the gradual evolution of places like Almora and Ranikhet in Kumaon isn’t just related to the jaw dropping mountain panorama. These quaint hill stations have not yet been devoured by crass commercialism of the Tourism phenomenon. Somehow they have managed to remain obscure, laidback and un-hyped – a rare combo package in today’s contemporary world!
The Economics of Wedding:
Although “Wedding” is not yet officially declared as an industry, the visionary attitude of the Government, both at the centre and the state have focused on innovative campaigns like ‘Wed in India’ that are specifically targeted at promoting India as a global destination for weddings.
With an economy which is the fifth largest in the world and the Indian wedding industry pegged at a staggering USD 130 billion, with 8 to 10 million weddings held annually in India; the country has already metamorphosed into the Wedding Capital of the World.
According to Brokerage Jefferies – one of the world’s premier full-service investment banking and capital markets firms – “The Indian wedding industry is nearly double the size of the industry in the U.S. ($70 billion), albeit smaller than China ($170 billion). Weddings are the second largest consumption category in India. Weddings, if they were a category, would rank as the second largest retail category only behind food and grocery ($681 billion),” it said.
Cash rich Millennial Indians are at the forefront of this wedding boom and are paying enormous sums. A noticeable trend of both the bride and groom’s family contributing to the wedding phenomenon is a clear reflection of the paradigm shift in India’s social network trends.
USP of Kumaon Himalayas:
Like elsewhere in India, Kumaoni weddings are elaborate affairs and involve a wide variety of ceremonies – Ring Ceremony, Mehendi Ceremony, Ganesh Puja, Varamalla, Kanya Dan, Saptapadi and Vidai. No wonder that all these rituals entails substantial spendings particularly on jewellery, attire, transportation and electronics.
Chandan Singh Koranga, a millennial Kumaoni entrepreneur and proprietor of Wood Villas luxury wooden chalets, whose forefathers, the late Dewan Singh Koranga and later on Shri Nandan Singh Koranga, in particular, served with great distinction in one of the Indian Army’s oldest and most decorated infantry units – the Kumaon Regiment, has been organizing Destination Weddings in Kumaon Himalayas.
According to Chandan – “Uttarakhand is evolving into a much preferred destination wedding hub and places like Ramnagar near Corbett National Park are expected to host approximately 800 wedding ceremonies this year. Prices range from 15 lakhs to 90 lakhs, depending upon the amenities and services. The best part is that the middle class too have shown great affinity to conduct weddings here, as the prices are competitive.”
In spite of the onslaught of modernity, Kumaoni people have fiercely kept its biodiversity protected and since ancient times, Kumaon Himalayas has been the bastion of some of India’s most fascinating tribes – the Tharus, Bhutiyas, Jaunsaris, Buksas, and Rajiswhose, whose unique lifestyle and folklore have been the subjects of awe to Anthropologists and Culture researchers.
Uttarakhand’s Exotic Destination Tag:
These days, there is this remarkable urge to tie the nuptial knot in exotic locations and much of Uttrakhand provides just that – breathtaking Himalayan panorama!
Most of Chandan’s discerning guests who come to conduct their weddings in Kumaon Himalayas, come with a mindset to explore Kumaon Himalayas in all its entirety; no wonder, they are 10-15 day affairs, and thus are provided accommodation in his signature Wood Villas retreat located in the picturesque Himalayan hamlet of Dhamas (32 km . from Almora). At an elevation of 1424 m/4672 ft, the grandeur of the majestic Himalayas as seen from Dhamas is spellbinding.
Being an extension of the Koranga family’s commitment towards preservation of Kumaon Himalaya’s fragile ecosystem, the cornerstone of Wood Villas Wedding tours lies in providing immersive experiences, and staying in traditional Kumaoni villages is highly encouraged. The essence is on slow and mindful exploration.
In their efforts to provide discerning visitors with a firsthand feel of nature’s wonders at Kumaon, Wood Villas Safari offers tailor-made treks and visits to ancient temples like Kasar Devi, Katarmal and beyond.
Not many are aware that Kumaon region is an avid bird watcher’s paradise and Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of Uttarakhand’s best birdwatching zones, home to 200+ resident species. You can have a date with Eurasian Jays, Bar-tailed Treecreepers, and Oriental Turtle Doves, to name just a few.
Wrapping Up:
The Indian wedding industry viz-a-viz Uttarakhand looks poised for exponential growth in the days to come. Presently this industry is on the verge of an incredible boom, with statistics indicating that this boom might touch the staggering INR 10 trillion by 2025.
It must be borne in mind that Weddings in India have a positive rub-off effect on several other sectors like jewellery, apparel, automobiles and a host of consumer durables. No wonder, these industries too witness staggering demands during the wedding season.
Devbhumi Uttarakhand is on the verge of a transformation and the state is ready to welcome global visitors and host Destination Weddings. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been sincere in his attempts to transform Uttarakhand by implementing the policies laid down by the Central Government and it is expected that this will result in further unraveling of the stupendous Himalayan diversity of India’s Uttarakhand.
Presently India/Bharat commands the respect and admiration of the whole world as a progressive nation. It was Swami Vivekananda’s hope that Bharat would create a new “Social Order” and a new “Civilization” by harmoniously merging the very best of the nation’s spirituality with the latest technological advancements. He strongly believed that Bharat would be rich both materially as well as spiritually.
The “Harmonious Cultural Synthesis Between India/Bharat and the Rest of the World” is an ongoing process and the present global scenario is an opportunity for India/Bharat to showcase the very best of India/Bharat’s 5000 year old spiritual heritage.
Shared by : Subhasish Chakraborty
Travel Journalist
