Gas shortage forces wedding feasts onto traditional stoves

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

With the wedding season at its peak and an auspicious date on April 28, rural families are facing a shortage of commercial gas cylinders, forcing them to cook large wedding feasts on wood-fired stoves.

The Indian Oil gas agency in Ladsawangi has been closed for a month. As consumers hold local gas cards, agencies elsewhere are refusing supply. With 500–1,000 guests expected at most weddings, cooking without gas has become a major challenge. Families are struggling to arrange firewood at short notice, while stove cooking requires eight to ten extra workers, increasing costs for the bride’s family. “The agency has been shut for a month. With no gas, we are using traditional stoves,” said caterer Ismail Sheikh. “My daughter’s wedding is on April 28. The catering was fixed at Rs 20,000, but due to the gas shortage and extra labour, it has been raised to Rs 25,000,” said resident Satish Pawar.