The Hindu society strictly forbids sexual relations before marriage. In fact, “sexual pleasure was expected within marriage yet should remain secondary to the fulfillment of duty, or dharma” (Netting 3). However, this ban is aimed more at the women than the men, as statistics estimated that about 25% of men, and 10% of women do not follow this convention, as explain Nanda and Gregg: “child marriage became the ideal; virginity and chastity were strictly required of females, but nor males” (Nanda & Gregg 22). These considerations do not depend on the caste to which one belongs, they are found in all social strata, but India, being such a large country, has more liberal areas than others. It is also worth noting that the urban upper class is less
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More than the union of two indivduals who love each other, it is a link between two families and a means to perpetuate the community. However, India evolves slowly towards modernity and rules slowly become more flexible. This new wave of mentality can be seen through Ruchika Muchhala’s 2010 documentary, The Great Indian Marriage Bazaar, which presents Muchhala, a twenty-something Indian woman who lives in the United States, as she tries to navigate a cousin’s wedding without being asked the fateful question, “when are you getting married?” As the film goes on, the viewer watches Muchhala try one of India’s most popular matrimonial websites, shaadi.com, and witnesses as she begins a journey that could end in an arranged marriage, and comes to terms with her own perceptions of marriage. Muchhala interacts with other women of her family, and interestingly, they all have different views on the subject of arranged marriage, and the primary trait to find in a husband, which ranges from independence to safety to compatibility. There also have a discussion on the Western concept of dating, which Muchhala’s mother refers to as “sophisticated prostitution”. In fact, half of the population of India is under twenty years old, and this generation is beginning to have the opportunity to overcome the most restrictive side of traditional …show more content…
One of the fundamental features of Indian characters is undoubtedly the omnipresence of the family, whether extended or, to a lesser measure, limited. This phenomenon is difficult to understand for a more individualist Westerners. The extended family or joint family founded the very unity of the Indian social system. In this type of family organization, the sons stay together in the patrilineal home with their wives and children. This means that the sons, parents, wives and children all share a house, eat together and jointly participate in the ritual, social and economic activities of the household. Around this central core may other members be added, such as unmarried sisters or aunts, abandoned widows, distant uncles or domestic workers, who are still very present, even in relatively modest areas. It is clear that a family cannot indefinitely include the different generations within a single home, only for lack of space. The family community then breaks into smaller units, each with a new family head. Thus, the brothers may separate at the death of their father and create their own
More than the union of two indivduals who love each other, it is a link between two families and a means to perpetuate the community. However, India evolves slowly towards modernity and rules slowly become more flexible. This new wave of mentality can be seen through Ruchika Muchhala’s 2010 documentary, The Great Indian Marriage Bazaar, which presents Muchhala, a twenty-something Indian woman who lives in the United States, as she tries to navigate a cousin’s wedding without being asked the fateful question, “when are you getting married?” As the film goes on, the viewer watches Muchhala try one of India’s most popular matrimonial websites, shaadi.com, and witnesses as she begins a journey that could end in an arranged marriage, and comes to terms with her own perceptions of marriage. Muchhala interacts with other women of her family, and interestingly, they all have different views on the subject of arranged marriage, and the primary trait to find in a husband, which ranges from independence to safety to compatibility. There also have a discussion on the Western concept of dating, which Muchhala’s mother refers to as “sophisticated prostitution”. In fact, half of the population of India is under twenty years old, and this generation is beginning to have the opportunity to overcome the most restrictive side of traditional …show more content…
One of the fundamental features of Indian characters is undoubtedly the omnipresence of the family, whether extended or, to a lesser measure, limited. This phenomenon is difficult to understand for a more individualist Westerners. The extended family or joint family founded the very unity of the Indian social system. In this type of family organization, the sons stay together in the patrilineal home with their wives and children. This means that the sons, parents, wives and children all share a house, eat together and jointly participate in the ritual, social and economic activities of the household. Around this central core may other members be added, such as unmarried sisters or aunts, abandoned widows, distant uncles or domestic workers, who are still very present, even in relatively modest areas. It is clear that a family cannot indefinitely include the different generations within a single home, only for lack of space. The family community then breaks into smaller units, each with a new family head. Thus, the brothers may separate at the death of their father and create their own