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Everyone seems to be in a rush to keep up with the mania of gifting extravagant souvenirs, constantly updating the menu with new fast foods, or even coming up with trending themes for social functions. These themes or souvenirs do not necessarily stay within the budget of a common person. Yet, the mania never ends, and people continue to pursue it even at the risk of an empty pocket. 

This social custom was recently challenged by banning extravagant gifts, liquor, and fast foods from social events. Along with this, a penalty of ₹1 lakh was declared for violators.

These resolutions were not passed in a big city with a prominent name; instead, they are practiced in the tribal belt of Uttarakhand. Read further to find out about the villages that unanimously passed a resolution to eliminate extravagant customs in social events to strengthen equality.

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The story is not merely a tale of fictional imagination but it is a reality. Around 25 villages in Uttarakhand’s Jaunsar Bawar tribal belt, in the Khat Saili region, have made this decision collectively. They have taken a new step toward minimizing unnecessary expenses typically incurred in social events. The decision includes a ban on all forms of liquor, fast food items, and expensive rituals that are usually seen in social gatherings such as weddings. 

This newly passed resolution is targeted at the entire region of Khat Saili and aims to highlight the perennial element of social inequality. The resolution was greenlighted in a meeting chaired by Rajendra Singh Tomar at the Doha village. A village elder stated, “If anyone dares to treat guests with items like 'chowmein', 'momos', 'tikkis', pizza, or pasta, they will face a penalty of Rs 1 Lakh.”

Celebrations like weddings can not just figuratively but literally possess the ability to drain one's life savings. According to a report by Bajaj Finance Services, a wedding, especially in India, can range from ₹10–50 lakh, with the bride’s extravagant attire taking up 10–15% of the budget.

In such a scenario, curbing expenses can be deemed a challenging task. The ban imposed in the Khat Saili region aims to strengthen social parity in the community by curbing unnecessary expenses, which enables the community to maintain a strong and equal forefront.

The new resolution does not immediately restrict giving tokens of appreciation or gifts at social gatherings. Instead, modern gifts will be replaced with traditional items that have deep cultural roots in the community.

Earlier, gifting a goat to the bride was practiced, and this custom has now been withdrawn by the community, along with giving tokens like silver and dry fruits. To replace modern fast foods, the locals have come together to promote indigenous staple foods and snacks that also carry cultural significance.

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The draft of the resolution has put forward a homemade alternative in an era of expensive social customs. The draft proposes a list of items permitted for gift exchanges, including goat meat, flour, rice, and even traditional homemade liquor.

This new idea will be added to the previously established norm that restricts the amount of jewellery a woman can wear at a function. The regulation limiting jewellery was introduced earlier in October 2025 and has now spread across the 25 villages in Khat Saili. As per the new rule, women can wear only three ornaments at any social event or gathering: a phulli (nose ring), a mangalsutra (necklace), and jhumki (earrings).

The rule to limit jewellery was introduced to create a space where wearing abundant, extravagant jewellery at events is not considered necessary. This move aims to reduce the burden and eliminate the compulsion to buy or wear expensive gold pieces.

In an era where following trending themes for social gatherings comes at a high cost, these Uttarakhand villages have introduced a new normal, where simplicity is also regarded as a beautiful and valuable gesture.

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