Kashmir chefs set 10 pm deadline for wedding wazwan service
Traditional chefs known as wazas have decided they will not serve food after 10 pm due to long working hours.
Traditional chefs in Kashmir, known as wazas, have unanimously decided they will not serve wazwan after 10 pm at weddings and other functions. According to the Deccan Herald, the decision was made during a conference held at a marriage hall in the Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar.
Kashmir Waza Association president Ghulam Nabi Waza said the community has suffered in silence for too long. He noted that preparing the dishes takes several hours and often requires working late into the night.
Waza explained that chefs are typically expected to serve lunch from 1 pm to 6 pm, followed by dinner that starts late at night. He complained that when cooking at a bride's home, chefs must wait for the groom and his entourage, which often happens past midnight.
The association president mentioned that there have been instances where a maulvi left without solemnising the nikah because a groom did not arrive until 1 am. Waza appealed to the public to stop the habit of arriving late to wedding feasts.
Other chefs at the conference complained of maltreatment by clients. One chef stated that they are not provided with proper places to sleep despite working long hours and needing rest before their next routine.