Marriages in India

When a girl is 20, its time for marriage in India!
Is there a ‘Time’ for marriage? How can it be?! That time may come anytime… when you are 18, 30,50 or 80! We don’t know when the cupid strikes! In India it’s the parents who strike first … lest the cupid strikes!
The best part of the whole affair is that the girl is never or rarely informed.
This how we begin our groom-hunt:
First we see if we speak the same language, then whether we belong to the same caste, the same sub-caste. These are considered of utmost importance in deciding the compatibility between the pair. Once these things are out of the way, then it’s the turn of the astrological charts! The old, bespectacled astrologer has the power to peep into the hearts of the girl and the guy and decide whether these two will be a compatible pair for the rest of the lives!
If there is a match as far as all the above factors are concerned, rest assured! These two will never have any trouble in their marriage and will surely live happily ever after!
After all these things match, let’s now inform the girl that hey…you are getting married to this guy, ok!
God forbid, she dares say a no …how can she say a no …she is so lucky to be selected by the boy (or rather his parents)!
Let’s pay a fat dowry as we are SO grateful that we have found some one to take away this burden that hangs like the Damocles sword on our head!
When this is the case, I wonder why the girl’s parents cry at the ‘bidaayi’ (sending of the girl from one's house).
This might sound ridiculous in the modern context to many people but this is how it happens even now with most of the girls in India.
This blog is triggered after witnessing today a well- placed professional couple trying to get a match for their 22 year old daughter in her final year of Medicine (of course without informing her).
Referring to the two consecutive blogs, I wonder do we still have reasons to celebrate Women’s Day?