Marriage is an institution to help families support each other and share the joy during happy times. It is important to understand the purpose of marriage. It is a mutual agreement of both, wife and husband to care for each other and help each other’s families.
Over the period of time, the celebration done to declare the marriage to the community has taken over the basic purpose of the marriage. Large amount of resources are utilized for the ceremony. It has become mandatory to follow the standard pattern of loud, bright and expensive celebrations.
There is a need to think about the new practice of living in a relationship. In this setup the girl and the boy, who are adults, decide to live with each other as a family. They live in a relationship if it is made formal and acceptable in the society then the couple naturally take a lot of effort to make the relation stronger and successful.
Today in India, there are so many court cases being filed for the divorce mostly by the husbands. There are cases, where the women have lost their life under mysterious circumstances due to differences with the husband or in-laws ‘ family. Educated and earning women are victims of the abuse and violence at home by their husbands. It is time to stop such crimes against innocent women. Not only the women but even the small children are left alone by their own father rather than providing the protection.
It is high time, the crimes against women by their own family members must stop. Whatever needs to be done, must be done with no more delay. In the recent case of the death of a young female from Kerala at her home in June 2021, dowry money was the main reason for the death as per the news published.
This is just one case that was reported, in the 100 percent educated state of Kerala. What could be the statistics in the other states where the literacy rate is minimal? Marriage is used by the families to exploit the women and the young girls. The marriage makes the female weaker as she is expected to leave her own home and settle in the new house. It is a mandate for the female to follow the practices of the new family without expressing her own opinions and views.
Another crucial criteria followed for the marriage is that the female must be younger to the husband. In some cases the age difference is so huge that the young girl doesn’t even feel comfortable expressing her views to her own husband. Over the period of time the process of marriage has become as good as contaminated water that needs a lot of cleansing.
The live-in relationship set up can overcome a lot of the poor practices of marriage.
In the developed countries across the world, the live in relationship is accepted and even respected well, then why not India. The live-in relationship is focused upon companionship of two people. When the both of the partners understand each other, then it is always easy to bring the families together. The life in relationship with the acceptance of the families would turn out to be the best resolution over the dowry related crimes against women.
The legal system needs to accept such a relationship so that both the partners take efforts to make the relationship strong and not let it break.
In case of strong differences or impossible reconciliation between two partners, the woman and the man can choose to be free from the relationship without much emotional or mental stress. This even saves upon a lot of public speculations that happen when the marriage breaks.
Let us keep it in our mind that marriages are made for our comfort and support, we are not made to keep the marriage intact.
Let’s pledge for zero crimes against women from her partner.
Dear women, please respect your life, it is very precious. Relations can come and go, not life.
By Ashwini Kale
