“There are three ages of marriage: twenty is when you watch the TV after. Forty is when you watch the TV during. And sixty is when you watch the TV instead.” So what is the fun in opting for forties, when you not only lose the pleasures of being married but also end up becoming a couch potato by watching the TV (during). It leaves you with no options but fait accompli!
But the youth of today are opting for late marriages and this trend is at its peak. There are many reasons (ofcourse most of them are logical) for this:
Higher Education : “Educate a boy and you educate an individual. Educate a girl and you educate a community.” With girls stepping into the world of education and their eagerness to strive for success, the mindset and the stereotypes have been replaced by a more rational thinking. Today, no girl wants to give up her education and be tied by the bond of marriage, at an early age.
The need for independence : Independence is happiness but does the true happiness lie in the fact that every now and then you have to depend on someone to get your wishes fulfilled? The answer is no. Be it for boys or girls, both the genders prefer getting a job and earning sufficiently enough to be able to support a family of their own and themselves.
Economic independence : Life is not a bed of roses and when the sudden problems set the alarm bells ringing, it is important to bet your bottom dollar on successful survival through the storm. The youth of today has a higher level of maturity in terms of understanding and careful observation. Time and again we get to witness cases where the females support their entire family, financially and in the midst of such a life, the thought of marriage does not flash in their minds.
The selection of wrong life partners , by being forced to choose from among the embarrassment of riches, has also contributed to the changed outlook towards an early marriage. The youngsters believe that it is better to be late in marriage than hurrying into it and ending up with a wrong person.
Breakups : Everyday, the newspaper headlines are flooded with the news about divorce (s), honor killings, suicides, failed love affairs and what not. The concept of “chat mangni, phatt vivah” has been buried somewhere beneath the dust.
Emergence of nuclear families : This reason is somewhat vague. The fact that people are opting for smaller families with single child does not relate with late marriages. If you say that if the only child is a female then waiting for her, to enter into her thirties, for getting married so that a suitable match is found, is absolute nonsense. Yes, nuclear families have children who prefer waiting for a sufficiently longer time and then tying the knot but the reason which I think backs their decision, is the independent attitude, the urge to do something in life.
Risks and fear of commitment : Yes, commitment is a big word. It binds you with the beliefs and values and even the perception of the other person in such a way that it leaves you with two choices- sacrifice or adjustment. But since the mindset is constantly evolving, adjustment and sacrifice cannot always come in handy to save the relationship. Therefore, the youth abstain from entering into relationships.
Live-in popularity : Contrary to the commitment, live-in sounds more comfortable and beneficial.
Advancement of medical science : Yes, this is also one of the major reasons. With the popularity of IVF and TTB, the fear of failing in conceiving a baby in thirties, has vanished.
There are many more reasons. Probably, every other young soul is living with the readiness to make choices that won’t be judged without understanding the reason behind them. Probably, this is the new young India.
Important content regarding marriage and trends.