It’s that time of the year again that people in this part of the world have reserved for weddings. Most people in urban centres are consumed by these elaborate events; some are hosting guests/relatives from abroad. The day-time conversation revolves around the parties in the evening. While the list of events is constantly getting longer for the rich and the ultra rich, all others follow them closely.

To be fair, it seems there is no end to the wedding season in this country.

This overwhelming institution calls for some serious reflection -- what do weddings mean to us as a society, their relation with marriage, the traditions and rituals that have sustained or are lost for good. Generally thought of as a "fun, festive and joyous" time for guests, the host families inevitably get to spend a lot. Wedding means huge expense and this is considered a given. People save up and then squander their savings on meaningless trivia.

It is on weddings that the patriarchal values are on a vulgar display and the bride’s family has to bear the most burden on so many counts. What is brushed under the carpet on these occasions is the absurdity of marriages arranged by the elders. All this needs a serious rethink. What also needs to change is our attitude towards those "who stand outside the institution of marriage" and thus "find little foothold in the social life" of the wedding culture.

Also read: Wedding is another season

In our Special Report today, we have tried to recall some of the rich cultural traditions, purely for nostalgia’s sake and also to provide an occasion to think what have we replaced them with.