"Nero’s Hosts" Vs "Killjoys Jealous Of Rich": P Sainath Vs Malini Parthasarathy On Big Fat Indian Wedding (Image: x.com/RIL_Updates)
Renowned journalist P Sainath criticised the extravagant wedding ceremonies in India, popularly known as Big Fat Indian Wedding, especially in the backdrop of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding, which reportedly cost around Rs 5,000 crore, far surpassing the costs of iconic weddings like Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s at Rs 1,361 crore and Sheikha Hind Bint bin Maktoum and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s at Rs 1,144 crore. The luxurious events included eleven pre-wedding celebrations and hefty fees paid to global stars.
Sainath wrote on X, “Most Indians see the Big Fat Indian Wedding as a national achievement and are not put off by it, according to TV commentary, including on BBC. Really? Did BBC, anyone, do a poll/survey of most Indians? People hit the streets for what they see as a national achievement – like to greet the returning T20 world cup winning team. Anyone seen Mumbaikars dancing on the streets to celebrate the Ambani wedding?”
He highlighted the severe contrast with the ongoing agrarian crisis, stating, “In our decades-old ongoing agrarian crisis, lakhs of weddings in farming communities have collapsed. In one year, Maharashtra officially recorded more than 3 lakh families in just six districts with daughters whose marriages they could not afford.”
Sainath also remarked on the media coverage, saying, “There may be dancing in some TV studios, and breathless prose in print. What stands out is the absence of an iota of embarrassment in the wedding’s hosts and their celebrity guests both national and global – only the arrogance of excess, and a scarcity of shame. This crowd manages to give vulgarity a bad name.” He criticised the perception that hard work alone leads to such wealth, adding, “If hard work makes you a billionaire, every woman in rural India would be one.”
“Nothing indicates that the marriage of the millennium had the enthusiastic approval of ‘most Indians.’ But it certainly won (or purchased) the hearts and pockets of a nauseatingly narcissistic elite. These are not just Nero’s Guests, these are Nero’s Hosts,” he concluded.
1/8. Most Indians see the Big Fat Indian Wedding as a national achievement and are not put off by it, according to TV commentary, including on BBC. Really? Did BBC, anyone, do a poll/survey of most Indians? People hit the streets for what they see as a national achievement –… pic.twitter.com/GGWQSkDQU9
— P. Sainath (@PSainath_org) July 14, 2024
In response, Malini Parthasarathy, director at The Hindu Group, defended the celebration of wealth. She wrote, “It’s a pity that the celebration of wealth is frowned upon by some in this country. It’s fallacious logic to say that everyone should be in perpetual mourning because there are income inequalities.” Parthasarathy argued that criticizing wealth and lavish spending is hypocritical and driven by jealousy, stating, “Time to call out such hypocrisy and recognise that there’s a new generation of aspirational Indians who are motivated to work hard to achieve such prosperity.”
It’s a pity that the celebration of wealth is frowned upon by some in this country. It’s fallacious logic to say that everyone should be in perpetual mourning because there are income inequalities. Yes , Governments foremost duty is to address this inequality but to deride or… https://t.co/dykw8Ef9EN
— Malini Parthasarathy (@MaliniP) July 14, 2024
Parthasarathy further emphasised the importance of ambition for economic growth, saying, “America got rich and became an economic power as more of its citizens wanted to emulate business tycoons and rise too.” She suggested that aspiring to achieve prosperity is essential for driving a nation’s wealth and power.
Sainath is an authority on agrarian crisis in India and author celebrated for his work in rural journalism, particularly his book “Everybody Loves a Good Drought,” which explores poverty and farmers’ struggles. He has contributed to major publications like The Times of India and The Hindu, highlighting marginalized communities’ issues. Sainath has earned numerous accolades, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2007. He founded the People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), a digital platform documenting rural India’s diverse aspects through stories, photos, and videos.
Malini Parthasarathy, is a director at The Hindu Group, former Chairperson of The Hindu Group and former Editor of The Hindu.
