Wedding bells halted

SUBHASISH CHAUDHURI, TT, 10 November 2016: Two childhood friends, now in their sixties, had planned to get their grandchildren married to each other in Nadia on November 19. 

The demonetising decision has prompted them to push back the wedding indefinitely. 

After discussions between the families, Golam Rasool Halsana, 61, of Chapra, and Jamaluddin Mondal, 63, of Tehatta decided the marriage of their grandchildren Shahid and Shabana would be a problem as they would have trouble in raising cash for the wedding.

Shahid, 29, a constable of Nadia police, is grandson of Golam. Shabana, 21, a second-year BA student, is randdaughter of Jamaluddin.

The wedding reception was scheduled for November 20 in Chapra.

Building the pandal for the reception was scheduled to start on Friday.

Golam and Jamaluddin, both farmers, today informed the decorators and caterers about the change in plan.

“We decided to seal the bond of our friendship in the form of the marriage of our grandchildren. Everything was finalised and the marriage was slated for November 19. But the decision of the Centre created this crisis for us,” Golam said. 

“I had withdrawn Rs 20,000 from the bank on Monday. A part of the amount has already been spent to meet initial expenses and for payment of advances. Now I am left with only about Rs 3,000 in hand. But I need at least Rs 70,000 more to meet the expenses of the wedding of my grandson. But there are restrictions on withdrawing money (a maximum of Rs 20,000 can be withdrawn in one week). I called my friend Jamaluddin and expressed concern and we decided to postpone the wedding,” Golam said.

 Jamaluddin admitted facing the same problem. “I can’t take risk as the banks have put a restriction on withdrawal of cash. So, the situation compelled us to push back the event,” he said.

 “Today, I also called the printing press and told them not to print the invitation card,” Golam said.

Groom Shahid was not troubled by the postponement. “The marriage has not been called off. It has only been ostponed. We hope the wedding will take place within a month or two. So, we are not worried,” he said.