Barbaric Marriages in India

India's society has created a barbaric, social climbing, and even for some brides deadly situation called an arranged marriage.

Some people would think that marrying another person without knowing their partner is barbaric. This paper will show the problems that the modern young people of India face in the common practice of arranged marriages. Some of the problems are “the parents arrange the marriage” to a stranger (Fox 624), there is a requirement of “obligatory gifts” (Fox 626), a lack of “romantic love” (Fox 624), most young modern men and women have “very little social life involving members of the opposite sex” (Fox 624), the process can take quite along time as “waiting for over a year” (Fox 624) or even “dowry death” (Fox 631). The following discusses the studies of the arranged marriages of India by the author Serena Fox. The arranged marriage is a common accepted practice in India but to an outsider without knowledge of the arranged marriage practice it would seem barbaric.

Most young modern people of India are highly accepting of the arranged marriage custom. Sita, a young modern woman of India is interviewed on why she is so accepting and patient of her future arranged marriage (Fox 625). Sita comes off as being nonchalant by saying “here we have the chance to enjoy our life and let our parents do this work and worrying for us” (Fox 625). Sita goes on to explain that the marriage is the time when a woman will come to know and love her husband, “Here we have the whole of our married life to get to know and love our husband” (Fox 625), in other words, no “romantic love” (Fox 624). Overall, the arranged marriage practice is widely accepted by the young modern people of India.

First and foremost in India, the primary concern for a family while seeking out candidates for the future arrangement of a marriage is the families that will be united by this arrangement. Many people cringe when they hear the words "arranged marriage". They cringe because it brings to mind an image of a forced union and an unhappy couple in the middle of it. However, that is not always the case. Arranged marriages can be right and they do have positive effects.

The concept of arranged marriages today is totally different; they are no longer the same as they once were. In earlier generations there was no communication before the wedding day, now the parents allow their children to communicate through letters and occasional phone calls, before the day they meet and marry. (Nanda, 16) "More and more, parents give their children a choice in whether they agree to be with a potential spouse." (Nanda, K16) This is because "younger generations are wanting to take direction over their own choices and their own lives" (Nanda, 16) and their parents see this and respect that.

The families look upon the arranged marriage as “a lifetime relationship not just between the bride and groom but between ...