Srinagar, Nov. 14 -- With Kashmir's wedding celebrations increasingly turning into "a competition" over food, spending and social status, religious leaders across the Valley on Friday called for a return to simpler marriages and the traditional "seven-dish Wazwan".

Backing the Kashmir Waza Association's decision of not serving wedding dinners after 10 pm, prominent religious scholars said the move is a welcome step, but more needs to be done to discourage unnecessary customs, excessive spending and the growing trend of families trying to outdo one another through elaborate wedding feasts.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, addressing the congregation at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, welcomed the Association's decision, saying it is a positive st...