As muhurats galore, demand shoots up for wedding venues

Visakhapatnam: For brides and grooms, the countdown to tie the nuptial knot begins as ‘muhurats’ galore in February and March.

Much in advance, the demand for wedding venues swells as marriage parties zero in on the plush ‘mandapams’ and star hotels for the special occasion. Matching up with the auspicious dates, venues are getting booked months before so that families get the site of their choice without any hassle.

Muhurat dates line up from February 10 to March 10 followed by a few dates in April. “Since Shukra moodam and Guru moodam fall from April 28 and continue till July 8, the period is considered unfavourable for weddings.

Also, marriage ceremonies will not be performed during Ashada masam. Again, auspicious dates for the wedding start from August 8 to 28, counting up to approximately 18 muhurats,” explains Dr. Rambhatla Venkataraya Sharma, an astrologer and Telugu researcher.

Based on lagnas and other filters, the muhurat timings keep varying. However, many families look forward to Magha masam for marriages as the most auspicious dates fall on February 14, 18, 19, 28 and 29 as an extra day gets added to the leap year. After exploring various options, Satyadev Anupindi, a chartered accountant, says, “We have finally settled for the Port Stadium cricket grounds for my brother’s wedding ceremony scheduled on February 17th and 18th. Despite approaching well in advance, all the major function halls, including A1 Grand and V Convention have already been booked for the dates. And so are big hospitality brands and resorts.” Although there are a few auspicious dates in March, families have to wait till August (Sravana masam) to fix the wedding muhurats. Purohits mention that ‘Bhadrapada masam’ (September 4 to October 2) is considered as ‘soonya masam’ and so is unfavourable for wedding ceremonies. Again, muharats resume in October However, there are a few auspicious dates lined up during the following months. As wedding plans get readied for the ensuing season, brides and grooms look forward to customised venues to celebrate their big day in their own special way.

Cashing in on the growing trend of grand wedding ceremonies, function hall operators, star hotel and resort managements offer an array of options with different pricing for its customers based on their demand list.