Source:-(google.com.pk)
Marriage Indian Culture Biography
The Indian subcontinent has historically been home to a wide variety of wedding systems. Some were unique to the region, such as Swayamvara (which was rooted in the historical Vedic religion and had a strong hold in popular culture because it was the procedure used by Rama and Sita). In a swayamvara, the girl's parents broadcast the intent of the girl to marry and invited all interested men to be present in a wedding hall on a specific date and time. The girl, who was also often given some prior knowledge about the men or was aware of their general reputation, would circulate the hall and indicate her choice by garlanding the man she wanted to marry. Sometimes the father of the bride would arrange for a competition among the suitors, such as a feat of strength, to help in the selection process.[4][8] Another variant was the Gandharva marriage, which involved simple mutual consent between a man and a woman based on mutual attraction and no rituals or witnesses. The marriage of Dushyanta and Shakuntala was an example of this marriage.[9]
As the Vedic religion evolved into classical orthodox Hinduism (ca. 500BC), the social ideas advanced by Manu gained prominence, and large sections of Indian society moved towards patriarchy and caste-based rules. Manu and others attacked the Gandharva and other similar systems, decrying them as holdouts "from the time of promiscuity" which, at best, were only suitable for small sections of society.[9] Under the system they advocated (sometimes called Manuvad), women were stripped of their traditional independence and placed permanently in male custodianship: first of their fathers in childhood, then of their husbands through married life, and finally of their sons in old age.[10] It is also speculated that parental control of marriage may have emerged during this period as a mechanism to prevent the intermixing of ethnic groups and castes.[9] Early marriage, in which girls were married before they reached puberty also became prevalent, though not universal, over time. This emergence of early arranged marriages in the Indian subcontinent was consistent with similar developments elsewhere, such as Indonesia, various Muslim regions and South Pacific societies.[11][12][13] Commentators on both Hindu and European Jewish communities (where early arranged marriages had also gained prevalence) have hypothesized that the system may have emerged because "the answer to the raging hormones associated with teenage sexuality was early, arranged marriage."[5][14]
With kinship groups being viewed a primary unit to which social loyalty was owed by individuals, marriage became an affair deeply impacting the entire family for Indian Hindus and Muslims alike and key to "the formation or maintenance of family alliances."[15] Sometimes, these arrangements were made at the birth of the future husband and wife with promises exchanged between the two families. Where specific alliances were socially preferred, often an informal right of first refusal was presumed to exist. For instance, marriages between cousins is permissible in Islam (though not in most Hindu communities), and the girl's mother's sister (or khala) was considered to have the first right (pehla haq) to "claim" the girl as for her son (the khalazad bhai).[16] Systems such as watta satta (exchange marriages, which occur in rural Punjab) evolved where two families unite by exchanging women in two brother-sister pairs through marriage.[17] As with other cultures, levirate marriages (where the brother of a deceased man is obligated to marry his widow) also became customary in some regions for all religious groups, partially to ensure that clan alliances and clan ownership of land rights remained intact even if the husband passed away.[18]
[edit]Developments in the modern period
With the expanding social reform and female emancipation that accompanied economic and literacy growth after independence, many commentators predicted the gradual demise of arranged marriages in India, and the inexorable rise of so-called "love marriages" (i.e. where the initial contact with potential spouses does not involve the parents or family members).[3] That has not yet come to pass and the institution proved to be "remarkably resilient" in the Indian social context, though it has undergone radical change.[19]
Commonly in urban areas and increasingly in rural parts, parents now arrange for marriage-ready sons and daughters to meet with multiple potential spouses with an accepted right of refusal.[20] These arranged marriages are effectively the result of a wide search by both the girl's family and the boy's family.[21] Child marriages are also in steady decline and deemed unlawful in India (with legal age of marriage at 21 years for men and 18 years for women), so the term "arranged marriage" now increasingly refers to marriages between consenting adults well past the age of sexual maturity.[20] Due to this, a strong distinction is now drawn by sociologists and policymakers between arranged marriages (which involve consenting adults that have choice and unhindered rights of refusal) and forced marriages.[22] Another significant trend in arranged marriages is related to the loosening of traditional clan-bonds in India. Where potential spouses for sons and daughters were once identified through family and social relationships, they are increasingly being solicited through advertising because many urban parents no longer have the social reach that was a given before the rise of nuclear families in India.[23] With the advent of the internet, this has led to the rise of matchmaking websites such as shaadi.com (shaadi is the Hindi-Urdu word for wedding), which claims to be the largest matrimonial service in the world.[23]
[edit]Self-arranged marriages
It is increasingly common in India for a couple that has met by themselves and are involved romantically to go through the process of an arranged marriage with that specific partner in mind. Since arranged marriages result in a deep meshing and unification of extended families and are believed to contribute to marital stability, many couples orchestrate their marriages with each other through the processes of an arranged marriage. These marriages are often referred to as "self-arranged marriages" or "love-arranged marriages" in India.[7]
[edit]The arranged marriage process
Arranged marriages vary widely by region and community across the Indian subcontinent. The marriage process usually begin with a realization in the family that a child is old enough to marry - for a girl, it is during her graduation or early twenties and for a boy, it is after he is 'settled', with a decent job and consistent earnings. The initiation can occur when a parent or a relative (such as an aunt or an elder sister or sister-in-law) initiates a conversation on the topic, or the son/daughter approaches the parent/relative and expresses the desire to be married.[24] This relative effectively acts as a sponsor, taking responsibility to get the boy/girl married to a good partner.[25]
[edit]Finding a matchmaker
If the son/daughter has an identified love interest, the sponsor often takes it upon themselves to try to orchestrate a match with that individual. If no such person exists, the sponsor begins the process of identifying suitable candidates. This is usually done via an intermediary matchmaker who has a social reputation for maintaining discretion and brokering successful weddings.[26] The sponsor approaches the matchmaker with a photograph and the child's horoscope. The matchmaker is often an elderly socialite who is liked and widely connected to many families.[27] In some regions, specific professions are associated with matchmaking. For instance, in many parts of North India and Pakistan, the local barber (or nai) was a frequent go-between.[26] In south of India, the high class Brahmin plays the role of a matchmaker. To avoid social embarrassments, complete secrecy is often maintained for any marriage discussions.[26] If no good matchmaker is accessible to the family, the family may resort to matrimonial advertising in newspapers or matrimonial websites
Arranged marriages have been an integral part of the Indian society since ages. Basically a marriage is termed as arranged when it is arranged by people other than those getting married. In the process, it even curtails the phenomena of courtship. The other people involved in the arrangement of the marriage can be parents, match making agents, matrimonial sites or a trusted third party. In fact the task of match making is quite a number of times carried out by priests, religious leaders, trusted relatives, family friends, etc.
In older times, the bride and the groom were neither asked for their consent, nor were they informed about the partner. However, with the evolution of time, the society has also undergone a significant change. Nowadays, in arranged marriages both the girl and the boy are asked for their consent. The process begins with practices like matching the horoscope of the couple for checking the compatibility, the background of the families and their castes.
After all the above things are ensured, a suitable date for the commencement of the marriage is decided. Before marriage, an engagement ceremony is commenced to ensure that the accord between the two families is finalized. I the modern society, the by and the girl are allowed to hold restricted meetings and conversations before marriage. This makes it easy for both of them to open up and also facilitates interaction and understanding.
The marriage ceremony is highly formal is case of an arranged marriage, with the groom's family playing to the gallery. The marriage is conducted in strict accordance with the Vedic rites and rituals. After marriage the bride is bid farewell amidst blessings for her prosperous marital life. However like everything, arranged marriages have both pros and cons. On one hand, they have better success rate as there are less expectations and ego related issues.
On the other hand, the biggest threat that arranged marriages face is that if either the boy or the girl is not ready for the marriage, it can lead to serious trouble. This may even cause resentment and emotional setback for both of them. Moreover, such a situation can even make a person get avert to the idea of marriage itself. The main reason behind such a condition is pressure from the family and parents. Thus, parents should keep in mind that in lieu of being over authoritative they can ruin their children's life forever.
Marriage Indian Culture Biography
The Indian subcontinent has historically been home to a wide variety of wedding systems. Some were unique to the region, such as Swayamvara (which was rooted in the historical Vedic religion and had a strong hold in popular culture because it was the procedure used by Rama and Sita). In a swayamvara, the girl's parents broadcast the intent of the girl to marry and invited all interested men to be present in a wedding hall on a specific date and time. The girl, who was also often given some prior knowledge about the men or was aware of their general reputation, would circulate the hall and indicate her choice by garlanding the man she wanted to marry. Sometimes the father of the bride would arrange for a competition among the suitors, such as a feat of strength, to help in the selection process.[4][8] Another variant was the Gandharva marriage, which involved simple mutual consent between a man and a woman based on mutual attraction and no rituals or witnesses. The marriage of Dushyanta and Shakuntala was an example of this marriage.[9]
As the Vedic religion evolved into classical orthodox Hinduism (ca. 500BC), the social ideas advanced by Manu gained prominence, and large sections of Indian society moved towards patriarchy and caste-based rules. Manu and others attacked the Gandharva and other similar systems, decrying them as holdouts "from the time of promiscuity" which, at best, were only suitable for small sections of society.[9] Under the system they advocated (sometimes called Manuvad), women were stripped of their traditional independence and placed permanently in male custodianship: first of their fathers in childhood, then of their husbands through married life, and finally of their sons in old age.[10] It is also speculated that parental control of marriage may have emerged during this period as a mechanism to prevent the intermixing of ethnic groups and castes.[9] Early marriage, in which girls were married before they reached puberty also became prevalent, though not universal, over time. This emergence of early arranged marriages in the Indian subcontinent was consistent with similar developments elsewhere, such as Indonesia, various Muslim regions and South Pacific societies.[11][12][13] Commentators on both Hindu and European Jewish communities (where early arranged marriages had also gained prevalence) have hypothesized that the system may have emerged because "the answer to the raging hormones associated with teenage sexuality was early, arranged marriage."[5][14]
With kinship groups being viewed a primary unit to which social loyalty was owed by individuals, marriage became an affair deeply impacting the entire family for Indian Hindus and Muslims alike and key to "the formation or maintenance of family alliances."[15] Sometimes, these arrangements were made at the birth of the future husband and wife with promises exchanged between the two families. Where specific alliances were socially preferred, often an informal right of first refusal was presumed to exist. For instance, marriages between cousins is permissible in Islam (though not in most Hindu communities), and the girl's mother's sister (or khala) was considered to have the first right (pehla haq) to "claim" the girl as for her son (the khalazad bhai).[16] Systems such as watta satta (exchange marriages, which occur in rural Punjab) evolved where two families unite by exchanging women in two brother-sister pairs through marriage.[17] As with other cultures, levirate marriages (where the brother of a deceased man is obligated to marry his widow) also became customary in some regions for all religious groups, partially to ensure that clan alliances and clan ownership of land rights remained intact even if the husband passed away.[18]
[edit]Developments in the modern period
With the expanding social reform and female emancipation that accompanied economic and literacy growth after independence, many commentators predicted the gradual demise of arranged marriages in India, and the inexorable rise of so-called "love marriages" (i.e. where the initial contact with potential spouses does not involve the parents or family members).[3] That has not yet come to pass and the institution proved to be "remarkably resilient" in the Indian social context, though it has undergone radical change.[19]
Commonly in urban areas and increasingly in rural parts, parents now arrange for marriage-ready sons and daughters to meet with multiple potential spouses with an accepted right of refusal.[20] These arranged marriages are effectively the result of a wide search by both the girl's family and the boy's family.[21] Child marriages are also in steady decline and deemed unlawful in India (with legal age of marriage at 21 years for men and 18 years for women), so the term "arranged marriage" now increasingly refers to marriages between consenting adults well past the age of sexual maturity.[20] Due to this, a strong distinction is now drawn by sociologists and policymakers between arranged marriages (which involve consenting adults that have choice and unhindered rights of refusal) and forced marriages.[22] Another significant trend in arranged marriages is related to the loosening of traditional clan-bonds in India. Where potential spouses for sons and daughters were once identified through family and social relationships, they are increasingly being solicited through advertising because many urban parents no longer have the social reach that was a given before the rise of nuclear families in India.[23] With the advent of the internet, this has led to the rise of matchmaking websites such as shaadi.com (shaadi is the Hindi-Urdu word for wedding), which claims to be the largest matrimonial service in the world.[23]
[edit]Self-arranged marriages
It is increasingly common in India for a couple that has met by themselves and are involved romantically to go through the process of an arranged marriage with that specific partner in mind. Since arranged marriages result in a deep meshing and unification of extended families and are believed to contribute to marital stability, many couples orchestrate their marriages with each other through the processes of an arranged marriage. These marriages are often referred to as "self-arranged marriages" or "love-arranged marriages" in India.[7]
[edit]The arranged marriage process
Arranged marriages vary widely by region and community across the Indian subcontinent. The marriage process usually begin with a realization in the family that a child is old enough to marry - for a girl, it is during her graduation or early twenties and for a boy, it is after he is 'settled', with a decent job and consistent earnings. The initiation can occur when a parent or a relative (such as an aunt or an elder sister or sister-in-law) initiates a conversation on the topic, or the son/daughter approaches the parent/relative and expresses the desire to be married.[24] This relative effectively acts as a sponsor, taking responsibility to get the boy/girl married to a good partner.[25]
[edit]Finding a matchmaker
If the son/daughter has an identified love interest, the sponsor often takes it upon themselves to try to orchestrate a match with that individual. If no such person exists, the sponsor begins the process of identifying suitable candidates. This is usually done via an intermediary matchmaker who has a social reputation for maintaining discretion and brokering successful weddings.[26] The sponsor approaches the matchmaker with a photograph and the child's horoscope. The matchmaker is often an elderly socialite who is liked and widely connected to many families.[27] In some regions, specific professions are associated with matchmaking. For instance, in many parts of North India and Pakistan, the local barber (or nai) was a frequent go-between.[26] In south of India, the high class Brahmin plays the role of a matchmaker. To avoid social embarrassments, complete secrecy is often maintained for any marriage discussions.[26] If no good matchmaker is accessible to the family, the family may resort to matrimonial advertising in newspapers or matrimonial websites
Arranged marriages have been an integral part of the Indian society since ages. Basically a marriage is termed as arranged when it is arranged by people other than those getting married. In the process, it even curtails the phenomena of courtship. The other people involved in the arrangement of the marriage can be parents, match making agents, matrimonial sites or a trusted third party. In fact the task of match making is quite a number of times carried out by priests, religious leaders, trusted relatives, family friends, etc.
In older times, the bride and the groom were neither asked for their consent, nor were they informed about the partner. However, with the evolution of time, the society has also undergone a significant change. Nowadays, in arranged marriages both the girl and the boy are asked for their consent. The process begins with practices like matching the horoscope of the couple for checking the compatibility, the background of the families and their castes.
After all the above things are ensured, a suitable date for the commencement of the marriage is decided. Before marriage, an engagement ceremony is commenced to ensure that the accord between the two families is finalized. I the modern society, the by and the girl are allowed to hold restricted meetings and conversations before marriage. This makes it easy for both of them to open up and also facilitates interaction and understanding.
The marriage ceremony is highly formal is case of an arranged marriage, with the groom's family playing to the gallery. The marriage is conducted in strict accordance with the Vedic rites and rituals. After marriage the bride is bid farewell amidst blessings for her prosperous marital life. However like everything, arranged marriages have both pros and cons. On one hand, they have better success rate as there are less expectations and ego related issues.
On the other hand, the biggest threat that arranged marriages face is that if either the boy or the girl is not ready for the marriage, it can lead to serious trouble. This may even cause resentment and emotional setback for both of them. Moreover, such a situation can even make a person get avert to the idea of marriage itself. The main reason behind such a condition is pressure from the family and parents. Thus, parents should keep in mind that in lieu of being over authoritative they can ruin their children's life forever.
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
Marriage Indian Culture
