Sambhal’s Kidwai clan bans DJs, dowry display & pre-marriage phone contact in bid to rein in wedding excess

MEERUT: A community council of the Kidwai clan from the Muslim community in Sambhal has imposed six binding rules on its roughly 25,000 members, barring DJs and bhangra at weddings, prohibiting the exchange of mobile numbers between prospective brides and grooms before marriage, and fixing a narrow one-hour window for wedding processions, with fines for delays. Enforcement will rest with the clan's head, who can impose penalties ranging from fines to social boycott for violations.The decisions were taken on Tuesday during a panchayat in the Saif Ka Sarai area, where community elders and representatives gathered to discuss what they described as rising extravagance and social strain linked to weddings. Among the most stringent measures is a restriction allowing only one wedding feast, intended to prevent what organisers called unnecessary expenditure and food wastage. The bride's family has also been barred from demanding a mobile phone, and the giving, taking or public display of dowry has been strictly prohibited.The council set the timing of the wedding procession between 3pm and4 pm. If the groom's side arrives late, the family will be fined Rs 5,000 per hour. In addition, all pre-wedding rituals that begin days before the ceremony have been asked to stop, consolidating celebrations into a shorter, more regulated format.Community leader Mohammad Nadeem said the measures were designed to curb showmanship and the dowry system while encouraging simpler ceremonies aligned with Islamic values and financial balance. He framed the rules as corrective rather than punitive, arguing that the pressure to match the spending of others had led families to stretch their means."This is a welcome decision that will help restore dignity and simplicity to weddings. Often, families feel compelled to indulge in unnecessary extravagance due to social pressure, even when it exceeds their financial capacity and pushes them into heavy debt. With this rule in place, such excesses are likely to be curbed and expenses brought under control," said a resident, Mohd Rehman.