Wakhal Mannaba Apunba, Kangleipak (WAMA) on Sunday expressed concerns over the transition of traditional Meitei wedding into extravagant lavish affairs with strong “outside” influences which could potentially disintegrate the culture and aged-old rituals of Meitei wedding.
WAMA further noted that the prevalent shift of wedding into lavish affairs was one of the primary reasons behind the declining marriage rate among eligible youths.
Speaking to the media at the Manipur Press Club, WAMA president Moirangthem Naodalenkhomba highlighted that the Meitei population was slowly declining compared to previous decades.
“The population has steeply dropped in the last few decades which is an alarming situation. The transformation of weddings into a show of wealth and power by the elites is one of the primary reasons attributed to this problem,” he said.
He maintained that the introduction of “foreign” ceremonies such as cake cutting and expensive decorations had greatly increased the economic burden on eligible youth who wished to get married.
The financial intimidation coupled with personal burdens has deterred the eligible age group from embarking on this beautiful journey, he added.
He also maintained that families with poor economic standing were reluctant to marry off their sons and daughters due to the so-called “social mandate”.
“Late marriage is trending, which is a worrisome trend for the entire community as issues of infertility and other complications also increase,” he said.
He stated that the entire chain of events contributed to the slow demographic decline of the Meitei community compared to others.
As such he further said that WAMA would reach out to those catering in the decoration and wedding food sector to stop this threatening transition and rectify this issue swiftly.
