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Monday, June 6, 2011

Exploitation legitimised; Robbery legalised

It's not uncommon in our country to find complicated memorandums of understanding (MOUs) generally drafted by a single party, for the other in the bilateral agreement to simply accede without questioning. I'm talking about the Grand Indian weddings. Lets look at the the farce step by step


1. Demands of the groom's family for the bride's parents to fulfill:

a) _____ kg of Gold jewellery. (the forward class can demand platinum too) ; and the number in the blank is variable.

b) A plot of land in ________ city. Fill in the blank with the biggest town around.

c) Grand silk sarees (meaning obscenely expensive ones)

d) A sedan.

e) Wedding to happen in best wedding hall of the city; food, decoration and all other arrangements have to be excellent.

f) Bride's family under the control of groom's. (sometimes after the wedding there are possibilities of role-reversal :D )

It's basically day-light robbery of the bride's dad's hard earned money. In fact, it's a strange act in which the groom, incapable of earning his own wealth, steals someone else's with the society's earnest approval!

(please fill in, if you know more of such demands)

Oh by the way, you come to this step after the initial screening which I have written in my post at  http://srilakshmidj-spectrum.blogspot.com/2010/12/normal-0-false-false-false-en-in-x-none.html


2. The bride's family say that they can't find a better match for her and simply acquiesce.

3. At the Wedding:

Of course, there are numerous rituals.

You see a huge number of people, most of whom neither the bride, nor the groom recognizes.

Guests pass comments on everything around, and are easily annoyed at the slightest aberrancy in comforts at the wedding hall, which means all fingers are pointed toward the bride's father. He should have had taken care of everything, you see.

And someone in the crowd is always match-making, paving way for next such drama.

There is music- at some occasions it's light classical, blaring bollywood at some other.

Women are all decked up like walking-talking jewellery and silk-clothes shops.


4) After the Wedding

The poor father of the bride is left with a hole in his (both) pocket(s).

And, generally the couple keep on fighting with each other over compatibility issues.


5) The country calls this the custom/tradition.

*
When I was new in Boston, I had seen a couple getting married in front of the Public Library. There were just four guests, a priest, and a photographer at the occasion. How simple it was.


**
PostScrpt : This is not a generalization. There are exceptions, with really happy couples, without above mentioned issues.

Title is suggested by my Dad
****
Current Song:

"How Do Ya Feel Tonight" By Bryan Adams

"i feel so high - no one else would know it
i don't know why i feel the way i do
i can't let got - and i'm not scared to show it
cuz being here feels right
tell me - how do you feel tonight?"...

"is there anybody dreaming
dreaming of a better day
when everything goes your way"....

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