Since ancient times, the magnificent Kumaon Himalayas in India’s Uttarakhand have been favoured as a region where Yoga was fulfilled. The gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are believed to dwell here as the region is blessed with celestial bliss emanating from the Himalayas. Leave alone the Rishis of yore; great minds of contemporary times like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Steve Jobs, Uma Thurman, Sunyata Baba aka Alfred Sorensen and others have spent a lot of time here, uplifting themselves spiritually and contributing immensely towards human civilisation.
The Himalayas, which are all 2 500 km. in length and between 350 to 150 km. in breadth, is the greatest mountain range on Planet Earth; its rarefied beauty and cultural diversity are legendary. The region’s folklore and mythology have drawn the attention of not just adventure seekers and anthropologists but also of humanity’s ever-evolving saga of love, sacredness and bliss.
The Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand also called the “Devbhumi” in local parlance, has recently become one of Resurgent India’s most preferred wedding places.
Grandeur of the Himalayas
Imagine the ethereal setting – Nanda Devi at (7,817 m), Kamet at (7,756 m), Trisul at (7,120 m) Maiktoli at 6,803 m, Devistan at 6,678 m, Devtoli at 6,788 m, Tharkot at 6,099 m, Nanda Devi East at (7,430 m), Chaukhamba at (7,140 m) vying for attention! In terms of sheer grandeur and magnificence, this stupendous Kumaoni mountain pageant will leave even the Swiss Alps behind! The scintillating mountain panorama of Kumaon is best summed up by Swami Vivekanand thus – “These Mountains are associated with the best memories of our race…where Rishis lived, where philosophy was born…”
The reason behind the gradual evolution of places like Almora and Ranikhet in Kumaon isn’t just related to the jaw-dropping mountain panorama. The crass commercialism of the Tourism phenomenon has not yet devoured these quaint hill stations. Somehow, they have remained obscure, laidback and un-hyped – a rare combo package in today’s contemporary world!
The Economics of Wedding
Although “Weddings” are not officially declared as an industry, the visionary attitude of the government, both at the centre and the state, has focused on innovative campaigns like ‘Wed in India, ‘ specifically targeting promoting India as a global destination for weddings.
With an economy of the fifth largest in the world and the Indian wedding industry pegged at a staggering USD 130 billion, with 8 to 10 million weddings held annually in India, the country has already metamorphosed into the Wedding Capital of the World.
According to Brokerage Jefferies – one of the world’s premier full-service investment banking and capital markets firms – “The Indian wedding industry is nearly double the size of the industry in the U.S. ($70 billion), albeit smaller than China ($170 billion). Weddings are the second largest consumption category in India. If they were a category, Weddings would rank as the second largest retail category only behind food and grocery ($681 billion),” it said.
Cash-rich Millennial Indians are at the forefront of this wedding boom and are paying enormous sums. A noticeable trend of the bride and groom’s family contributing to the wedding phenomenon clearly reflects the paradigm shift in India’s social network trends.
Uttarakhand’s Maverick Chief Minister
Uttarakhand is surging ahead as a premier wedding destination for several reasons. The lure of the Himalayas is legendary and needs no reiteration. According to a renowned wedding consultant –”Places like Rishikesh – Yoga Capital of the World is well poised to become the new wedding hotspot for couples desirous of tying the knot in pristine Himalayan surroundings”.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami is focused on projecting Uttarakhand as a global wellness destination. The Dhami effect and his all-out campaign to catapult Uttarakhand as a global tourism hub is gaining momentum. On his last visit to the UK, investments worth Rs.12,500 Crores were signed, with more in the pipeline.
With much of Uttarakhand being mountainous, ropeways are a must to ease connectivity issues, and the renowned Poma Group has evinced keen interest in developing the state’s ropeway navigating systems with a whopping Rs. 2000 Crores worth of investments. Communication experts think the Poma Group’s entry into Uttarakhand could be a game changer for the tourism industry.
Agreements and MOUs aside, the maverick Chief Minister has been networking intensively with the global world community. Many believe that CM Dhami’s recent meeting with the Lord Mayor of London Municipal Corporation could further open up trade possibilities with Britain and his proposal to the British Tourism Minister to prepare an Action Plan to further increase tourist traffic from Britain could pave the roadmap for Uttarakhand’s burgeoning tourism growth.
NRIs have played an important role in India’s economy, not just through inward remittances but also their domain expertise and knowledge skill sets, contributing significantly to the nation’s overall macroeconomic stability. An exclusive Non-Resident Uttarakhandi cell will be set up in the Chief Minister’s office with a single window system for prospective NRIs willing to invest in the state’s economy.
USP of Kumaon Himalayas
Like elsewhere in India, Kumaoni weddings are elaborate affairs and involve various ceremonies – Ring Ceremony, Mehendi Ceremony, Ganesh Puja, Varamalla, Kanya Dan, Saptapadi and Vidai. No wonder these rituals entail substantial spending, particularly on jewellery, attire, transportation and electronics.
Chandan Singh Koranga, a millennial Kumaoni entrepreneur and proprietor of Wood Villas luxury wooden chalets, whose forefathers, the late Dewan Singh Koranga and later on Shri Nandan Singh Koranga, in particular, served with great distinction in one of the Indian Army’s oldest and most decorated infantry units – the Kumaon Regiment, has been organising Destination Weddings in Kumaon Himalayas.
According to Chandan- “Uttarakhand is evolving into a much preferred destination wedding hub and places like Ramnagar near Corbett National Park is expected to host approximately 800 wedding ceremonies this year. Prices range from 15 lakhs to 90 lakhs, depending upon the amenities and services. The best part is that the middle class too have shown great affinity to conduct weddings here, as the prices are competitive.”
Despite the onslaught of modernity, the Kumaoni people have fiercely kept their biodiversity protected. Since ancient times, Kumaon Himalayas has been the bastion of some of India’s most fascinating tribes – the Tharus, Bhutiyas, Jaunsaris, Buksas, and Rajiswhose, whose unique lifestyle and folklore have been the subjects of awe to Anthropologists and Culture researchers.
Uttarakhand’s Exotic Destination Tag
These days, there is this remarkable urge to tie the nuptial knot in exotic locations, and much of Uttrakhand provides just that – breathtaking Himalayan panorama!
Most of Chandan’s discerning guests who come to conduct their weddings in the Kumaon Himalayas come with a mindset to explore the Kumaon Himalayas in all its entirety; no wonder they are 10-15 day affairs and thus are provided accommodation in his signature Wood Villas retreat located in the picturesque Himalayan hamlet of Dhamas (32 km . from Almora). At an elevation of 1424 m/4672 ft, the grandeur of the majestic Himalayas, as seen from Dhamas, is spellbinding.
Being an extension of the Koranga family’s commitment to preserving Kumaon Himalaya’s fragile ecosystem, the cornerstone of Wood Villas Wedding Tours lies in providing immersive experiences, and staying in traditional Kumaoni villages is highly encouraged. The essence is on slow and mindful exploration.
To provide discerning visitors with a firsthand feel of nature’s wonders at Kumaon, Wood Villas Safari offers tailor-made treks and visits to ancient temples like Kasar Devi, Katarmal and beyond.
Not many know that the Kumaon region is an avid bird watcher’s paradise, and Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of Uttarakhand’s best birdwatching zones, home to 200+ resident species. You can date with Eurasian Jays, Bar-tailed Treecreepers, and Oriental Turtle Doves, to name just a few.
The Indian wedding industry viz-a-viz Uttarakhand looks poised for exponential growth in the days to come. This industry is on the verge of an incredible boom, with statistics indicating that this boom might reach INR 10 trillion by 2025.
It must be noted that weddings in India have a positive rub-off effect on several other sectors, such as jewellery, apparel, automobiles, and consumer durables. No wonder these industries, too, witness staggering demands during the wedding season.
Devbhumi Uttarakhand is on the verge of a transformation and the state is ready to welcome global visitors and host Destination Weddings. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been sincere in his attempts to transform Uttrakhand by implementing the policies laid down by the Central Government, and it is expected that this will result in a further unravelling of the stupendous Himalayan diversity of India’s Uttarakhand.
Presently, Bharat commands the respect and admiration of the world as a progressive nation. Swami Vivekananda hoped that Bharat would create a new “Social Order” and “Civilisation” by harmoniously merging the best of the nation’s spirituality with the latest technological advancements. He strongly believed that Bharat would be rich materially and spiritually.
The “Harmonious Cultural Synthesis Between India/Bharat and the Rest of the World” is an ongoing process. The present global scenario is an opportunity for Bharat to showcase the very best of India/Bharat’s 5000-year-old spiritual heritage.
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