And for a Friday after viewing an interesting movie in a multiplex after a long time, some thoughts….. some musings…..
India is a young nation of average age of 29 years, with a mean marriage age of 22. In tier 3, 4 cities and villages, the marriage age is younger, whilst in metro cities and urban centres it is much higher. With increasing education levels, huge growth of IT and BFSI sectors, young men and women of diverse backgrounds are coming together. They start pairing up either at work place, entertainment areas, pubs and bars, thru social medias, online Apps and dating services. In all these cases, the marriage age is being pushed upwards. A hybrid formula is emerging – couples fall in love, agree to get married and then get the parents to consent, ending as “Arranged Marriage”. An increasing trend in big cities is of young couples choosing to enter into “Liv-in” relationships, also called co-habitation (very popular in western societies), where 2 people in a romantic and sexual relationship remain as partners to test out and validate their compatibility and then at a much later stage enter into marriage or decide to part ways and look for greener pastures. These social trends and societal changes are also causing a huge problem. Massive increase in divorces and split up of marriages. It’s sad but true. The highest price in a divorce is being paid by the young innocent children of these estranged couples. It’s a huge social problem. In a developing economy like India, the state has very little financial and social security capacity and the legal process is time consuming, costly and traumatic.
The movie Rocky Aur Rani was entertaining and good fun to watch. But it also showcased a unique formula. Considering the diversity of cultures, family values, language, life style, social strata and family bonding before a couple decide to get married, the to-be bride goes to the bridegroom home and vice versa. They stay and acclimatise to the diversities and challenges of family life. Is it a workable formula? Well, it’s an approach. This model may further strengthen the concept of Indian marriages not being just a contract between a man and woman, but between two families. With all its shortcomings and fault lines, the larger family system ensures enough venues to vent frustrations and disperse mental stresses, hopefully keep communication channels open to prevent breakdowns between couples and most importantly provides safety and security to the kids.
With more economic growth, with higher standards of living, let us not breakaway from our family values. Let us all support good traditions and behaviours in our young people, the understanding way, the empathy way, the SEEGOS way.