The tradition of arranged marriages has been around for decades in India, and although it was a tradition that was looked down upon in the past years, it is slowly opening up as an option again. However, the difference is that there is much more involvement of the people actually getting married, rather than their families.
Even though Indian websites still follow a very orthodox way for an arranged marriage union, and are far from offering a novel approach to matrimony, the traditional notions and customs of an arranged marriage have changed over the years.
Modern-day arranged marriages revolve around making an informed decision by the people looking to marry, instead of the families making all the decisions and the bride-groom showing up at the altar to meet each other for the first time. There is an aspect of negotiation involved because today’s parents realize, to a certain extent, that marriage is the choice of the person getting married, and hence, their interests, needs, and wants should be acknowledged and met. This doesn’t mean that the family influence is entirely removed though. Family influence is still key, considering it is often that the family chooses the potential partner, but some people do have the power of veto and can decide for themselves.
Naturally, many people have apprehensions about arranged marriages, because of what we’ve seen not only portrayed in movies growing up, but many of us have actually witnessed arranged marriages. These experiences have created misconceived notions about arranged marriages, and the important thing to remember is that it is possible for your experience to be different. Modern-day arranged marriages are about making independent decisions and informed choices, and if one is open to the idea of it, it is something that can be tried out.
It is also worth noting that in areas of the world where arranged marriages are still popular and are practiced, many children don’t have the privilege of choice, and the tradition is being carried out with the same old customs. Certain circles are definitely giving children more freedom in terms of choosing a partner, but it is only certain circles.
