Arranged marriage in India

Arranged marriages have the tradition in Indian society for centuries. Even today overwhelming majority of Indians in India have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members, with the consent of the bride and groom [http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20050215/life/life1.htmlLove vs arranged marriages, Keisha Shakespeare] . Arranged matches were made after taking into account factors such as age, height, personal values and tastes, the backgrounds of their families (wealth, social standing) and their castes and the astrological compatibility of the couples' horoscopes.

The institution of marriage in India is considered a very important one. In general both the parents and the young people feel that since they were older and wiser than their progeny, they would be able to find a suitable match for their children with more prudence than the latter. Although most marriages are arranged, some couples in India are opting for love marriage in urban areas. Among the overseas Indians, many marriages are still arranged with the assistance of the parents [http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/culture/features/11621/ Is Arranged Marriage Really Any Worse Than Craigslist? By Anita Jain] . Even the so called love marriages in India generally happen with the approval of the parents, although their blessing may sometimes be reluctant.

In India, the marriage is thought to be for life [Undying love for fifty years http://www.thepost.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=154&fArticleId=2613258] , and the divorce rate is extremely low, 1.1% compared with about 50% for USA [http://www.divorcerate.org/divorce-rate-in-india.html Divorce Rate In India] . The arranged marriages generally have a much lower divorce rate. The divorce rates have risen significantly in recent years::"Opinion is divided over what the phenomenon means: for traditionalists the rising numbers portend the breakdown of society while, for some modernists, they speak of a healthy new empowerment for women." [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1499679/Divorce-soars-in-India's-middle-class.html Divorce soars in India's middle class]

Hindu arranged marriages

Hindu Dharma accords paramount importance to marriage between two people found compatible, and on an auspicious day, chosen to be compatible with the bride and the groom, with the blessings of the elders and in the presence of gods, so that the couple will flourish and walk in dharma, and any progeny conceived after such elaborate rituals would be a blessed soul and good human being.

Once the parents of both bride and groom agree with each in which all the relatives and known circle are called from both sides as a witness and to bless, then in that engagement function itself a date is fixed for marriage as per bride and grooms horoscope and astrologically auspicious day, the priest will announce to all that both the family are agreed to the acceptance of marriage of their son/daughter on the particular date. Then in the name of god both the families exchange fruits and cloths as a symbol of happy acceptance.

An auspicious day is chosen in accordance with the religious almanac and the bride and the groom's horoscopes, also if it is moon's phase (ascending is preferred by some) apart from any other logistical consideration.

The wedding is conducted in accordance with Vedic rites [http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/rituals/sacraments/marriage_mantras.html THE VEDIC WEDDING CEREMONY An Explanation of the Traditional Hindu Marriage by V. Sadagopan] and rituals [http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=316417&no=279216&rel_no=1 Cultural Consequences in Hindu Marriage Different rituals and religious procedures make this ceremony special ] with the invited guests considered to be the 'society' in whose presence the girl is given away in holy matrimony to the boy.

From that moment on, he is to consider himself responsible for fulfilling her smallest of small desires to the biggest of them, to the best of his ability. He promises to be faithful to her and to worship the ground she walks on. She in turn is to treat him as her lord and master, her guide and advisor through good and bad, for the rest of her life. They will only have sex when they are married.

References

ee also

* Marriage websites
* Matchmaking
* Culture of India
* Marriage in Hinduism

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