KARACHI: The big, fat desi wedding is a pompous show of extravagance and ostentatiousness — a spending spree for both the bride’s and groom’s families, sometimes, even at the cost of taking a huge loan to bear the expenses.

One of the most visible ceremonial props is the garland of currency notes that the groom wears. Signifying respect for the prized groom; it is a matter of pride for many, and the ultimate status symbol and exaltation for others.

“Cash garlands are sported by politicians during jalsas and rallies. The business flourishes in the wedding season that follows Eid ul Fitr, when hajis return after Eid-ul-Azha and around elections. Traditionally, pilgrims are received at the airport by family members and relatives who present then with currency garlands. In Ramzan, children who keep their first fast are also rewarded with cash garlands”, says Mohammed Matloob, who has worked at Bismillah Flower Shop, at the garland market on Teen Hatti in Karachi, for the past 27 years.

The bank notes come from Bolton market and generally, people buy the ready-made garlands priced at Rs 100, Rs 500 or Rs1,000 notes. For a garland of banknotes worth Rs 400, the decorative material will cost not more than Rs70 to Rs100. “Add to this our labour charges, so the garland will sell for about Rs 650. The Rs2,000 garland would sell for Rs2,700,” he said. Ever since the denomination has changed and we don’t have the Re1 or Rs5 bank notes anymore, our profit margin has taken a dive,” says 25-year-old Mohammed Asif who has been making currency garlands for the last four years at Sindh Flower Shop.

Among certain communities, the popularity of currency note garlands is noteworthy. Usually preferred, “There is a Punjabi biradari by the name of Qureshis, who consider it auspicious to wear these garlands for celebrations. They are butchers by profession and compete with each other to have their groom sport a cash garland of more value than anyone else,” says Matloob. “It is also traditional among some Pathan tribes, doodhwallahs from Cattle Colony, and dhobis, for grooms to wear currency garlands.”

“It is their way of showing wealth and superiority on a wedding, when the groom wears a currency garland as he arrives to take the bride away. Sometimes, a wealthy relative may gift the garlands to the bride and groom, so there is no question of using counterfeit money,” says Matloob. “Since people find it difficult nowadays to even meet their daily expenses, they spend less on currency garlands now and the trend is waning”.

Some customers prefer fresh flowers with currency notes, they are usually Sindhi and Baloch customers. “I have been making garlands for 30 years now,” says Irfan, a middle-aged man, who learnt the craft from his father. “Before Partition, my father also made garlands in Delhi. The notes and flowers must be stitched or stapled together, so that they remain intact through the occasion. This work done there with marigolds is even more intricate, as currency garlands are used for religious festivals too.”

Non-resident Pakistanis due to their better economic status have their own style for flaunting their dollars. “Whether they come from abroad to marry here or to take the currency garland back with them for a wedding there, they bring their own currency with them. “You give us the bank notes and we’ll make the garland for you’, we tell them. The most valuable garland that I have made was for $25,000,” says Asif, happily munching his paan, as he deftly staples bank notes to form a garland that is spread out on the floor. “Due to security concerns, customers who want garlands made out of dollars and riyals call us to their home so we can make the garland on their premises.” It may take Asif 15 minutes to make a currency garland or over an hour for the more elaborate ones. “On a good day, I have made 30 garlands”, he said.

A young man, Mohammed Iqbal walked into the shop with a garment bag slung over his arm. He asked for the prices of different garlands and after a little bargaining he bought one for Rs1600. “It is for my brother who is getting married today,” he said, grinning. “He works in the scrap business and has many important contacts coming to the wedding. We want him to wear a cash garland. It is a matter of pride.”

Event management companies, debilitating inflation and construction of a fly-over at Teen Hatti have affected their business badly. “Event organisers now hire a fellow on cheap rates to do the entire event so we don’t get to decorate stages and jhoolas on weddings and mehndis,” says Irfan.

“Previously, many buses including P, P1, 22B and 52A and the ones going to Thatta and Badin used to pass by Teen Hatti. But now they go over this bridge that runs from Lasbela to PIB colony. Our visibility is not the same,” laments Matloob. “The same people who would sit on the bus and gaze at our shops, planning to buy big garlands for their children’s weddings, don’t even get to see our shops anymore. There are huge traffic jams in the evening and at the beginning of the bridge, right in front of the shops is a niche, where incidents of mobile snatching or mugging happen, especially after following people from the ATM.”

Two more customers walked in to buy cash garlands and wedding decoration. “I’m buying this garland for my brother-in-law. It is our family tradition. The groom has to wear a garland and the photos will go via Facebook and Whatsapp to all our relatives in Riyadh and the US. Everybody is anxious to know what is the value of the cash garland,” says Shiraz, who works at a dry cleaning shop in Nazimabad. “I will wear one too when I get married after Eid. Shadi ek baar hoti hai, since it is all about splurging, I’m definitely going to wear a big haar”.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2016