The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
Indian Marriages, all over the world, are seen with so much awe. Moreover, the rituals and ceremonies as shown in movies which are further popularized by celebrities have all created such a hype around Indian marriages.
Indian marriages are like the perfect case studies, which are taught and sold throughout the world. People project marriages as something like a scratch-proof, metallic flower vase. Beautiful, complete, unshakable, unbreakable and always so alive as the flowers in it. Its such a myth. Its a myth for a majority of couples.
However, I don’t say that there are no exceptions. I somehow feel that the people successful in marriages are better managers apart from being very practical about things, and marriage is another just another thing for them to be handled. It is almost like some people are better suited to follow the rules of the game, so they play it well. While other’s keep questioning the logic behind the rules, and keep fighting over why there is bias in the decision of the game. The game of Indian marriages is mostly based on inequality, prejudice and bias. Indian marriage clearly show, it’s a man’s world out there.
Why do I say so, you will wonder? Or do you really wonder? Or you know it. But keep quiet just like others.
The biggest problem with Indian marriages is that we want to save the marriage at any cost. Mind you at any cost. Now, you may be wondering how to save your marriage if it’s beyond repair, but traditionally in an Indian marriage, they will find a way. First it would be you or your spouse trying to save it.
Reasons vary, if it’s love, then its worth it, give it a million tries. But mostly, it’s not true; the reasons are social reputation, “what will the people say?” “His wife ran away?” “Her Husband dumped her? huh! may be she deserved it” and the kinds.
Financial issues. Professionally unemployed women (women work their ass off as homemakers also) are insecure about their future and moreover, parents mostly try to shun their responsibility of caring for a daughter who has come back to her maternal house. If you have a married brother, then know it girl, you are not wanted at all.
Emotional issues. I have seen a woman, who knew her husband is cheating her and did not want her anymore, she clinged to him because she said she loved him! You know, I was really aghast, how can you love someone who says “I hate you, don’t come close to me”. I cannot understand this.
Now finally if a couple makes up their mind to separate out, there comes the great Indian Rishtedars, with band-baja, and rona-dhona and darana-dhamkana. Sorry for this, this is my natural flow of words, I mean then the relatives jump in using everything from emotions to threat to save the marriage somehow.
It is such a thing, which I fail to understand. If the couple has to live with each other, making each other’s life a living hell, then why, just why do these people have to come there to save the home, save the family, save the tradition, save the honour of the Khandan (is there an English word for this?!!!!). Not realising that, at the end of the day, the couple has to deal with it, the couple has to bear the presense of each other, which they so dislike.
But, there is only one soft point here, an individual whose words, emotions, feelings should be cared for, the children produced by the marriage. Yes, children have the right to happiness and undivided love of their parents. A couple should work hard towards making their kids life emotionally secure and balanced, I truly believe in it.
But tell me, can children be the only factor to be in a marriage? Should a couple stay together because they don’t want their children to go through the trauma of choosing between one of the parents? Should a woman stay in a marriage, a dead marriage, an emotionless marriage, and unequal marriage, because she does not want her children to cry? What do you say?
Should an individual be first a parent, then a man or a woman? Does any right on our life, on our happiness, our desire, our wish left with us, when we are parents, the responsible parents of young children, who need our love and support to grow up right.
Then, does that mean that you should forget that you are experiencing a living hell, a humiliating life and just live on for your children? What do you say? What does an Indian say?
Is saving the marriage at any cost and thereby being the great example for generations to follow, is what one should do?
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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