During the off-season the brass bands have been busy practicing new numbers, with ‘Chammak Challo…’ being high on the chart, according to Ramesh, band master of Phullati bazar. "During the Ram Baraat most Agra bands had an opportunity for a full dress rehearsal. Agra bands have been popular in whole of north India for their slick uniforms and performances," adds Johri Bazar handicrafts dealer Bankey Lal Maheshwari. Popular hits that every band is required to play out include ‘Baharo Phool Barsao…’, ‘Babul ki Duayen leti Ja…’, a few Bhangra numbers, a sapera dhun from Naagin, the tune from Come September and even ‘Brazil…’ to climax.

Local pandits say this season there are a record number of "auspicious days... muhurats for conducting marriages." The marriages could be spaced out hopefully for everybody's convenience, feels Pt. Mahesh Sharma.

The Devotthan Ekadashi will begin with a holy dip in the river Yamuna. Vishram Ghat, Bengali Ghat in Mathura, Banshi Ghat in Vrindavan and Haathi Ghat, Balkeshwar Ghat in Agra will draw hordes of pilgrims and devouts.

Also called the second Diwali in this part, this Ekadashi of the "Kartik mas "lifts the curtain on the wedding ceremonies. 

Thousands of marriages are scheduled to be solemnized in Agra.  The dowry items this season include computer systems as well.

Some shops on the periphery of the city keep truck-loads ready of various dowry items including sofa, washing machines, double-bed, dressing tables, fridge and TV etc. People have to just mention the range or the amount at their disposal and in a jiffy the vehicle will sail of," says Sudhir Gupta, a financier of Vijay Nagar Colony.

The caterers and the marriage halls owners are fully geared to meet the rush. But the price rise has hit the middle class families.

Since marriages are becoming expensive caste based organizations in recent years have found a way out in the form of Community marriages without dowry. The Lodh Rajputs Sabha and the Mathur Vaishya Sabha as also the Agarwal and Brahmin Maha Sabhas have organized mass marriages which are expected to bring relief to middle class families.

 Surendra Sharma of Goverdhan Hotel, where mass marriages of Brahmin boys and girls are scheduled next month says the response is good but things will improve only when people of upper classes patronize these marriages. "The experience so far suggests that only those with limited incomes come to these marriages. The perception should change from helplessness to deliberate involvement in simple and dowry less marriages," Sharma added.