From the Horse’s Mouth
From the Horse’s Mouth
S/S 2019
The white horse needs rescuing too. Between the grandeur of weddings, let this season be about SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES as well.
Bridal Asia to me, has always been about representing the wedding industry. It is a huge family that brings the best of our beautiful, rich customs of weddings in all its entirety. While we all live to see the magnificent regalia, I found that social responsibilities have been a factor to focus on, in a wedding too.
Delving into the business, I often wondered about a few traditions that have been an integral part of a wedding; specifically, the practice of using a horse in marriage processions. Although the groom on the white horse makes for a grand sight, this romanticized custom takes its toll on the horse, blindly following its caretaker amidst the hullabaloo of firecrackers, beating dhols, and bleating horns. I hope to apprise my readers of this issue with my journey, trying to do my part for animal welfare in the city.
My main motive was to shed light on using horses in baraats, which is an unnecessary practice. Usually, the stables are 25 to 30 kilometers away from where the procession starts. To walk the distance for the horses would mean starting at six in the morning for an evening function, followed by the long waiting hours till the procession starts, for which they are saddled with uncomfortable decorations.
Even during summers, there are usually, no arrangements for them. I remember attending a wedding in sweltering summer. After the procession reached its destination, I got a bucketful of water for each of the palpitating and parched horses. Be it winter or summer, their condition is abominable. There, in the middle of the procession, the horse is surrounded by blaring music, which is torturously loud for the creature.
They can’t move around anywhere due to the constrictions of the straps, decorations, and blind patches on their eyes, especially the noseband that goes through the horses’ nostrils. It constricts the animal from that sensitive and delicate region. Each pull and tug causes pain to the horse, making her unable to move or run away.
The fact that a majestic creature like that should be constricted as part of an entertaining display in this aware day and age, feels archaic. With modernization, we have the freedom to get creative and find equally grand alternatives for horses. I feel that a change in the way we view traditions could make a huge difference in helping these animals.
Looking at the shifts in the industry, it struck me that this new demand for personalizing your wedding could be the solution we need. We talk of preserving customs, but doing them in our own way is where the difference lies. Where bridal style transforms to accommodate the future, traditions can as well. A procession could be of an entourage of vintage cars to represent extravagance. Even a walking procession that is plied with food, drinks, and photo opportunities makes for a satisfying alternative, if not a better one. Even if horses gallop they should be provided with adequate amenities to ensure their comfort through a long testing day.
I urge my readers to simply apply their creative minds to preserve traditions and ensure the well-being of animals. Even this quantum of change can make a difference for these troubled animals, to allow them to live in peace. Let this wedding season be about social change, and giving back the love we receive.
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