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 It's no longer strange to see wedding invitation cards bearing the name of a south Indian bride and a north Indian groom. It's no longer strange to see a Hindu girl getting married in a church or a Christian boy take his vows in front of the sacred fire. It's no longer amazing when an Indian marries a Westerner. Just as there are crossover movies, crossover music, we also have crossover marriages.
Although, it's definitely true that these kinds of marriages are still restricted to a small section of society, it's no longer looked upon as a big crime or sin as it was earlier. Surely and steadily, mixed marriages are making their mark on Indian society. And love marriages transcending barriers and boundaries are making for a new India, no longer divided on the basis of caste, creed and community.
For the new Indian, love is .. colour, community and caste blind. Which is why an increasing number of Indians living abroad are marrying not just outside their communities - a social no-no until not so long ago - but across nationalities as well. The reasons are not hard to explain. With global influences so strong, it necessarily entails interaction with people from other cultures and communities. India has become a melting pot of people from all over the world. Given the right environment, and the right chemistry, you have the ingredients for a fine romance.
From the traditional parent point of view, this kind of marriage would be the worst kind of nightmare. The result - a clash of cultures, a clash of religions and, many might say, a clash of values.
Indian movies, Indian songs, Indian novels all highlight this clash of traditional beliefs. But, as we know, times are changing. Parents have become more liberal and broad-minded. In the long run, they will understand that it not caste or community that makes for a happy marriage. It is the character and personality of the two people involved. Ultimately, they need to realise that their children need to choose their own soul mates. Irrespective of what caste and creed they belong to.
What chance do these mixed marriages have of succeeding? A very good chance, say couples who have gone through the process. All it takes is love .. and a willingness to work hard to make the marriage work.
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