UP: Muslim community panchayat in Mathura bans DJs, fireworks at weddings, curbs extravagance
Mathura (UP) (PTI): A Muslim community panchayat in Mathura district has taken a unique decision to curb extravagance and unnecessary rituals during weddings, imposing a fine of Rs 11,000 and social boycott on families found violating the norms, community leaders said on Monday.
The decision was taken unanimously at a panchayat organised by the Eidgah Committee in Kosi Kalan town on Friday. The meeting was held at a sarai in the Nikasa locality.
Committee president Moinuddin Gadsania and vice-president Haji Sadiq said the panchayat resolved that no Muslim family would organise a nikah ceremony at hotels, guest houses or marriage halls. The nikah will be solemnised only in mosques, while the walima (post-marriage feast) may be held at hotels or other venues.
They said the use of DJs during weddings has been completely banned. If the rule is violated, no imam or qazi in the town will perform the nikah ceremony.
The practice of presenting gifts or cash to the groom as part of the 'salami' ritual has also been prohibited. Other forms of ostentation, including fireworks and wasteful customs, have similarly been barred.
The ban on DJs will apply even if a wedding procession travels to another town, the panchayat clarified. Members said loud music and dancing at weddings often lead to disputes, disturbing social harmony and unity.
The panchayat further decided that violators of the rules would face a fine of Rs 11,000 along with social boycott. The committee said it would also try to implement similar decisions in other villages and communities.
Community elders said the objective of the decision was to check rising wedding expenses, curb social evils, prevent disputes during marriage functions and reduce the financial burden on families, especially the younger generation.
A large number of prominent community members, including the committee secretary, Mehraraj Qureshi, were present at the panchayat.
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Two injuries, one DNF, a DQ as India end messy World Relays campaign
Gaborone (Botswana) (PTI): Amoj Jacob and Ragul Kumar got injured during the men's 4x400m and 4x100 races respectively as India ended their World Athletics Relays campaign in disappointment on the second day of competitions here on Sunday.
The Indian camp had high hopes of making the 2027 World Championships in the men's 4x400m relay but the team did not finish (DNF) the race as Jacob suffered cramps and pulled out of the race after taking the baton from the first leg runner Dharamveer Choudhary. Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK were to run in the third and fourth legs.
Those teams which could not qualify for the 2027 Beijing World Championships by reaching the final round of each of the six relay events on Saturday were given another chance in the second qualification round on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the two heats (in all six relay events) booked the Beijing ticket on Sunday.
India will now have to try and qualify for the World Championships through the Top Lists of the World Athletics, which is a long and tedious process.
In the men's 4x100m race, third leg runner Ragul Kumar fell down the track after failing to hand over the baton inside the exchange zone to fourth leg runner Gurindervir Singh, which clearly showed the lack of coordination among the runners.
Harsh Santosh Raut and Animesh Kujur ran the first two legs.
The Indian quartet was disqualified and Kumar was seen being taken away from the Field of Play with the help of the volunteers.
It was a comedy of errors in the case of the women's 4x100m race, which saw the baton being dropped during an exchange between first leg runner Tamanna and second runner Nithya Gandhe, though the Indians finished the race in 53.09 seconds.
Gandhe started running quite a distance, but after realising that the baton was not in her hand, she turned and ran back to pick it up.
The only silver-lining for the Indian contingent was the national record time in the mixed 4x100m relay race, though the quartet of Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha SS finished sixth in heat number two with a time of 41.35 seconds, bettering the previous national mark of 42.30 seconds set in March in Chandigarh.
The mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Theerthesh P Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William and Rashdeep Kaur ended at fifth in heat number one with a time of 3 minutes and 19.40 seconds.
On Saturday, all the five Indian relay teams had failed to make it to the respective final rounds and thus missed out on the 2027 World Championships berths.
