`Soup’, `starters’, `galouti kebab’: Kashmir’s wazwan gets a new makeover; sparks angry reactions

Srinagar: Even as the netizens are going gaga over the serving of apples with ‘wazwan’, the weddings in the Kashmir valley saw additions of several new varieties of dishes this year.

From soup with starters to ‘meat sarposh’, wazwan was served with quite a few innovations that have mostly angered the people in the Valley.

“I was surprised to see soup with starters during a ‘baraat’ that was served before regular wazwan with galouti kebab, fish kebab, and chicken barbecue. Interestingly, slices of Amul butter too were served and most of the guests did not eat wazwan after having soup and so many different varieties of starters,” said Irfan Ahmad, a local.

Omar, another local, said he was taken aback when he saw a ‘sarposh-like’ covering of meat on a trami.

“Video and photographs of a meat layer on a trami had recently gone viral and I also had something similar. Our trami was covered with a ‘sarposh-like’ covering of meat during a ‘baraat’. At another baraat, we were served four pieces of tabak-maaz and kebabs instead of two. We also got four pieces of ‘Lahab-kebab’ and so many other innovations,” he said.

“At a time when people were praising the hosts who served apples instead of coke at a recent wedding, the situation on the ground is entirely different. From last year, we have been seeing grenade-shaped ristas and other rista varieties resembling birds and pears at quite a few weddings,” he added.

Though there seems to be no end to the innovations, many people and groups are venting out their resentments on social media.

“….why don’t we at least use our common sense to encourage people to perform simple and easy marriages….. It’s draining and damaging our social balance and ethos… Please stop SHOW OFF in marriage functions. Request everyone to make marriage as simple as possible. Every innovation (Bidat) we do in marriages is becoming a building block for many daughters to remain unmarried and they are crossing their age for marriage. (sic),” ‘Kashmir Nikah Service’ wrote in a Facebook post.

Other netizens too called for the holding of austere weddings and shunning of innovations during the serving of wazwan in the Valley.

“I completely support the slogan of simple marriage and I know words are not enough for it as it needs practical steps and I pledge to do a very simple nikkah, Insha Allah, as per the sunnat. I request everyone not to do extravaganza in any way and be very strict and responsible and I appeal especially women not to pressurize their husbands and fathers for innovations in marriage (sic),” commented another netizen on Facebook.