Now that we're entering June, the traditional "wedding month" in the US, this newspaper article in a local Chennai paper caught my eye.
On Thursday the Indian Supreme Court ruled that "girls above 18 years of age can live or marry with anyone of their choice." Parents, the ruling continued, may not like the marriage, but at worst they could sever ties - ruling threat, coercion, and torture as inappropriate.
The case in question involved a Hindu woman and her Muslim husband, who were harassed by police and after her parents put forth a complaint along with threats. After conversion to Islam and marriage, the woman's parents forcibly brought her back and made her marry a Hindu. Escaping, she returned to her husband. Her parents and the second husband then launched a complaint of kidnapping against her Muslim husband.
One of the teachers at my school just got married. She is Christian and he is Hindu. This caused deep strain and strife in both families, most of whom did not attend the marriage. Financial backing for the wedding was also withheld. Even for college educated individuals, arranged marriages are still the norm. Choosing your own partner is uncommon, and marrying outside of your religion is considered taboo for many. Those that choose to break these norms face difficult challenges. In a country where tradition and religion are so ingrained, it will be interesting to see if marriage practices actually change.
1 comment:
This decision is definitely one that won't end the strife, but at least will be a step forward. In a couple of generations.....
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