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| Photo Courtesy: Google Images |
Well, marriage is
something I rarely talk of. But this M word struck me when I noticed some of my
classmates talking about the relevance of court marriage on our Whatsapp group.
Marriage….a word
which either shudders many youngsters or makes them blush, has been an
important concept since the beginning of mankind’s existence. Hinduism states
there are three important parts of a human being’s life – birth, marriage and
death. Then, Quran reiterates the importance of marriage through, ‘“And
among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves,
that you may dwell in peace and tranquility with them, and He has put love and
mercy between your (hearts): Verily in that are signs for those who reflect” . In Bible, in Genesis 2:24, ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his
wife, and they become one flesh.’ This unity has
been celebrated with great fanfare throughout centuries. But it has also
drained many families’ pockets.
In many traditions,
the burden of marriage expenses has been on the girl’s family. In the current
scenario, you have to buy designer dress for the bride and jewellery. Secondly,
marriage halls come at a heavy price. Then, you have food to be served to the
guests. Printing of invitation cards, dresses for family members and relatives,
offering to be served to the priests, and what not. And do not forget the
dowry. Isn’t this enough to leave a family grappling for enough finances? There
have been cases where the parents are rendered paupers, selling their own
houses and properties, to keep up the ‘honour’ of their family. In season one
of Satyamev Jayate, an Indian TV show which focuses on social issues, a family
in Kerala was brought into the limelight, because they sold their house, to
marry off their daughter in an illustrious manner. Well, many know how
Keralites marry, with heaps of gold necklaces on the bride and loads of bangles
on her hands.
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| Photo Courtesy: Google Images |
But, what makes
marriage such a celebrated affair? Many say, it’s been our custom to celebrate
the unity of a man and a woman. And some say, what’s the use of such a custom
which drains you completely? Then, in the face of this custom of forced
celebration, opting only for court marriage seems to be an alternative.
Court marriage is a
process of uniting a man and a woman through registering their marriage
legally, in a court. In India, every marriage is registered in a court. But not
going for the big fat Indian wedding does not involve the showy stuff involved
in a pompous wedding. A lot of money can be saved through court marriage. And
what is the money to be saved for? No, no, I am not telling you to be a Good
Samaritan. That’s your personal choice. But the money can be saved for the
couple’s future and further expenses. Keya Saxena, a development communication
student says, “Court marriage consumes less time and less money. It will also help
reduce the pressure of dowry on the girl’s parents, and help them look at their
daughter as a financial asset, and not as a financial liability.” She further
adds, “The money can be invested in building and consolidating the new couple’s
future, rather than channelizing it in giving pointless gifts to zillion
guests.” Malika Munjal echoes the same sentiment, “I think court marriages are
the best. The amount of expenditure done on daughter’s marriage is so huge.”
It also helps set
an example for many families who are dreadful of the D-day, because they know
their financial capability. Many are forced to spend lavish sums of money for
this one-day celebration. When they see more and more couples resorting to
court marriage, this will be a trend. Lesser and lesser parents will be forced
to spend money, and marriage in our society will see a paradigm shift. Sahiba
Rais Khan innocently says, “Court marriages mean less expenditure and less
wastage of food.”
Court marriage is
still a less-explored phenomenon in our society, but can be given more impetus,
if the youngsters stand up and speak out against the burden of splurging of
money on weddings, on their parents. You and I can make a difference!
The views are extremely personal. Readers may differ
in their opinions and are free to give their feedback.
