Weddings are all about having fun and making happy memories, right? Well, that is not the case, if you belong to the Sindhi community that is. The Sindhi Panchayat has passed a couple of resolutions that mandates all brides and grooms to pay a fee of Rs. 5000 each, if they arrive late at their weddings.
If that rule sounds absurd, then just wait because there is more! The bride and the groom, and in fact all women from the wedding party are prohibited to dance in the wedding procession. Yes guys, you read that right. And, rest assured this is not an April fool’s joke!
The Central Sindhi Panchayat in Bhopal passed these resolutions recently. Panchayat member Ved Prakash Arya, spoke to ANI and said that the local panchayats will have to enforce these rules ‘strictly’ from now on. He mentioned that these rules have existed in the Sindhi communities all over India from the pre-Independence days, and they are being followed even now. Some panchayats however, got more lenient over the years; and that is why, there is a need for such ‘stricter rules’.
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The women can dance inside their homes or at the wedding venues of course (insert eye roll here, ladies), as per the old Sindhi traditions. Another panchayat member, Rajiv Gyanchandani, hailed this decision to formally prohibit women from dancing 'on roads'. He went on to explain how this rule would prevent roadside lotharios from objectifying women who choose to dance in public.
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Women do enjoy a lot of freedom today. But, when they are told to hide or cover up to prevent harassment, we realise the fight for equality still has a long way to go.
