(Note: I am not against arranged marriage. Many of my friends and relatives are happy after getting hooked in an arranged manner. It’s just that I can’t help looking at the funnier side of the whole process of an arranged marriage. So, just sharing my thoughts here and hoping this would be looked upon as ‘just for laughs’ kind of piece.)
The whole idea of an arranged marriage confuses me. I find it weird how people try to ‘fix’ a marriage between two ‘total strangers’, against the forces of nature. And I can’t help but compare the whole procedure – of a girl’s family meeting a boy’s family – with shopping. Yes, you read it right!
Before starting their search for a suitable match, the boy and the girl prepare their list of likes and dislikes in their future partner. Just like the way we think before shopping as to which brand of jeans, colour for the top, type of footwear, etc we would like.
But the real shopping fun begins when the girl and the boy’s family meet each other. The party which starts asking questions first is the buyer while the other is the seller. For example, the boy’s family will start listing all good qualities of the boy just like a salesman trying to portray his product in a must-buy manner. On the other hand, the girl’s family will try to figure out the percent of truth in their claims, just like the buyers do to make sure the salesman isn’t lying.
After the first round, the tables are turned. Buyers become sellers and vice-versa. Now, the girl’s family will start proving how perfect to-be bahu she is while the boy’s family will do some brain-work in guessing the percent authenticity in their claims. Most importantly, both of them (girl and boy) will check whether the list of qualities in the opposite person matches with the shopping list they prepared.
If both parties are satisfied, they go ahead with the marriage. In my words – the deal is finalized with both parties benefiting as buyers as well as a sellers. In this way, a total stranger becomes the most important person of your life after just few meetings. Wow!
But wait a minute! Where the heck does love figure in this since it is the most important ingredient for marriage? Oh forget it! As long as the girl’s family can say, “Humare sar ka boj hat gaya!” and the boy’s family can proudly declare, “Humare ghar me oonche khandan ki bahu aa gayi,” nothing else matters! Not even love!
The Lost Common Man says
Dear common man,
Life isn’t as logical as mathematics or science.
Today, pure love & commitment seems to have somewhere in the oblivion like me!!
I agree to the fact that love & trust is more important for a life-long institution of commitment like marriage. But, people today are ready to break them just like changing clothes. Yes, there might be exceptions, no doubt wherein one of the partners might find it genuinely painful to continue the relationship, due to whatever reason maybe.
The ultimate choice is ours, whether to go the conventional way, and find love after marriage, whether to love & tie the knot, or the 3rd case, mistake infatuation for love, tie the knot, suffer, walk out of the relationship, and wait/hope for the next ‘right’ knock on your door!!
rati mehra says
i think u have really lost it. ur perception is so negative. if u r Quoting parents as “buyer n seller” thn luv marriage r “venue selling” . u need 2c how arranged marriages r done. der is no display of boy n gals finances or false qualities. i hv a luv marriage n seen gud n successful arrange marriages too.
i’ve never gone thru such a rubbish article… so m really speechless on ur words,idea, perception, opinion n emotionless pathetic article.
Keyur Seta says
Thanks for your comment Rati 🙂 Whatever I have written is based on what I have seen. Different people have different perceptions.
Aur waise bhi, I have mentioned at the start that this article is just for laughs.
Cheers 🙂