Bharat’s richest person and one of the biggest names in the business world, Mr Mukesh Ambani’s son, got married sometime back. For the constant bombardment of news that one had to endure related to the wedding for months, one might say: F I N A L L Y!

Mr Ambani is not just the richest person in Bharat but one of the richest humans in the world right now. People are shocked at how he managed to attract top Hollywood and Bollywood celebs to the wedding celebrations. News outlets are reporting crazy sums of money being spent on the wedding.

The wedding, the protracted celebrations, the glamour and glitz has elicited opinion about the wedding from one and all.

Some call it an ostentatious show of wealth
Some say they are putting out a better image of Bharat
Some say this is part of a well-planned strategy by Mr Ambani to implant the next generation in the minds of people
Some say this goes to show the gulf in divide between the so-called classes and masses

Opinions are a dime a dozen, but amidst this entire Ambani wedding spectacle, one cannot deny that we Bhartiya people place tremendous importance on marriage. Not everyone has the time, resources, or wherewithal to conduct celebrations lasting months, but this is not an anomaly in the culture.

I have heard that wedding ceremonies and celebrations often stretched for weeks, even in the post-Vedic era of Bharat. Even modern-day rituals and celebrations aren’t any less. Unlike in the West, where the bride and groom often contemplate whether or not to invite even their parents, in India, not inviting even distant relatives and acquaintances can cause fissures in relationships!

However, wedding shenanigans aside, whether one likes grand celebrations or not, whether one approves of Mr Ambani’s conduct of his very public private affair or not, one cannot deny that what we see in popular culture or media doesn’t impact us. And because it impacts us, it is imperative to ensure we absorb only that which can help us in some way.

As I witnessed the onslaught of news, I was reminded of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, which forms the basis for this piece. Let us dive in.

SETTING AN EXAMPLE

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥

Bhagavan Shri Krishna explains that whatever action people in positions of influence perform, common humans follow.

Isn’t it so blatantly true as we observe our world?

Why do brands hire popular celebrities as their brand ambassadors?
Why would they spend eye-watering sums of money to get the most famous stars to endorse their products?

It is because a person of stature or repute holds tremendous influencing power.
I mean, why else would a friggin pan masala company hire Mr Shahrukh Khan to endorse them?

Bhagavan Shri Krishna uses the above fact to remind us that those who have been blessed with influence need to exercise it consciously.

A press conference organized for the Portugal football team at the Euro 2020 saw a certain Mr. Cristiano Ronaldo move the bottle of a cola brand away from his table while picking up a bottle of water and saying, “Aqua.” This small act turned out to be so significant that the cola brand’s shares dropped by 1.6% in the aftermath of the event— a $4 billion drop!

Talk about influence and its power!

While cinema and sporting personalities hold incredible power of influence, people of repute and power like the Ambanis do so as well.

Shaadi Ke Side Effects

As of 2024, the wedding industry in Bharat is said to be around $75 billion, making it one of the biggest industries in the country. According to a report by Live Mint, the weddings conducted during the Nov-Dec period of 2023 generated around ₹4.75 lakh crore!

While how and the amount a person chooses to spend on their wedding is entirely subjective and personal, the issue with the masses is that they are easily influenced by what the biggest influencers show them.

The Ambanis spent a minuscule fraction of their wealth on their wedding celebrations. If someone is influenced by how intelligently they deploy their finances, that’s great. But if someone mindlessly imitates them, then it’s trouble for them, their finances, and their families!

Just as dowry may still be prevalent in parts of our country, so is the reality that often families take on debt to finance their children’s dream wedding.

The entire idea of organizing a wedding amidst the religious/cultural ceremony is to invite loved ones to participate in the joy of a new and auspicious beginning, feed them with loving care, and invoke blessings for the couple.

The evolution from the above to theatrics for social media, pre-wedding, post-wedding, pre-natal, post-natal, and whatnot was not quite the intent of a marriage ceremony. Basically, a marriage ceremony was supposed to be intimate, personal, and sacred; it wasn’t about how grand, lavish, or how much money one could spend.

To illustrate why it is imperative for us to consume the news surrounding celebrities and people of influence, let me quote the example of another celebrity wedding: India’s (current) biggest sports star, Mr Virat Kohli.

Mr Kohli and his wife, Ms Anushka, kept their marriage a private affair, choosing to marry outside of India to avoid excessive media scrutiny. However, one image from their wedding that they shared went viral. Ever since then, what to say of commoners? Even other Indian celebs have copied the style of Mr. Kohli and Ms. Sharma’s clothes!

MAKE A CHOICE

Whether one desires it or not, one will inevitably be influenced by people around what to say of those who predominate popular culture. Wisdom lies in being aware and awakened to our reality before we mindlessly imitate a person of influence.

And even if we have to ape or copy a person of influence, as inevitable as it is, what if we were to copy them with intelligence?

How would it be if, rather than imitating the clothes Mr Kohli and his wife wore for their marriage, one imitates their health and fitness discipline?

Rather than imitating the grandiosity (it cannot be imitated anyway) of the Ambani wedding, one chooses to copy their commitment to the Bhartiya rituals, Vedic ceremonies, and charity.

One cannot play sports like Mr Kohli.
One may not achieve the grand success that the Ambanis have experienced in the world of business.

Celebs are humans. Humans with flaws.

While one can wish that the celebs make responsible choices about their conduct, it cannot be mandated. Their personal and business choices may interfere with public posturing. One cannot stop big stars from smoking in public, sponsoring pan masala ads, or promoting online gambling. It is our prerogative to pick and choose what and who influences us.

As the famous jargon from a public awareness initiative goes:

Jaago Grahak Jaago!

To Summarise:

• Shri Krishna reveals that whatever action people of influence do, common humans follow.
• As we consume news about celebs, it inevitably impacts our lifestyle choices.
• While we cannot ensure how celebs behave or choose to be in public, we can very well choose to make informed choices about what we pick from them.

Here’s a reflection for you:

What is your take on the Ambani wedding? And assume if you had access to resources as much as the Ambanis, how would you choose to celebrate your offspring’s wedding?

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope the post sparks some fresh ideas for your personal growth.

Kushagra