Published on 10/3/2008

Marriage

Preparation for marriages in India takes place at least six months in advance. This is the time when all the families and friends are invited and gather together. Small marriage parties can have a gathering of about 200 to 300 people, and big marriage parties in India can have a gathering of thousands.

(2)Marriage

Middle class parents in India spend a major part of their life savings on their daughter’s marriage. Higher income group Indian people spend money for what they call ‘social prestige’.

The more money they spend, the more people will talk about them and the prouder the parents will feel. Sometimes the bride’s parents feel obligated to spend more because of the unspoken societal pressure. Ultimately it is parents of the bride-to-be who bear the maximum financial burden and if they are not rich enough, they live with the debt for many years to come after the marriage of their daughter.

There is also an evil custom known as a dowry which is still a big burden in Indian society. The concept started hundreds of years ago and the point was to give a newly married couple some financial support. This was provided by both the groom and bride’s parents, was within their financial capacity and was given with their happiness. However this concept was manipulated by greed and developed within the Indian society over the years. In India, mostly after marriage, the woman goes to live with the......