The semi-arranged Marriages in India

She first met him in the English class in 1994. Not sure what it was, but there was something about him that made her skip a beat. May be it was that young foolish age of daydreaming, but she started to add him into her dreams……
Eventually, they became friends, good friends. Not many family members knew about him except her nosy aunt. Luckily for her, the aunt loved to be a matchmaker, and she took it from there on….
The families from both sides were very pleased with the aunt for finding them a great match….The rest is history.. This semi-arranged marriage…
The change is a part of the slow but ever-progressing ways of life. Based on the demands of the time, the culture and customs evolve; the traditions change. Similarly with time, the marriage concept has become much more relaxed and less rigid. The new way of life and modern thinking have naturally affected the way marriages are initiated. There is more transparency between the families and the potential couples; the restrictions of old days are fading – slowly but steadily.
In today’s Indian culture, it is very common for the future bride and groom to meet each-other and get to know before the wedding. Instead of introducing the families in old days, the couples get introduced way before the marriage; or they stumble upon each other. A brief or prolonged courtship is common before the wedding dates are finalized. Also, it is quite common for a couple to walk away due to any reason, including incompatibility issues or not being ‘my type’.
The prevalent way of Indian matrimony is the arranged marriage since old days. However, the semi-arranged marriages are becoming progressively popular.
As for as the wedding traditions go, the underlying concept of marriage is still the same. The parties, the celebrations and the rituals are just like any other traditional wedding.
In cases, where bride and groom come from different cast or religion, the families may decide on the ceremony or rituals based on a collective bargain! :) . Many times, the families repeat the ceremony in both religions, and may hold additional parties. Any excuse for additional party is always welcome by everybody, including the wedding crashers! :)


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