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Introduction        

In India, marriage is traditionally seen as a sacrament, a sacred institution steeped in religious and cultural significance. This understanding of marriage holds it as an unbreakable bond forged not just between two individuals but also their families.

Body

Reduced sacramental value of marriage in modern India

• Increasing divorce rates: According to the 2011 census,6 lakh individuals were divorced, equivalent to 0.24% of the married population and 0.11% of the total population.
• Delayed marriages: As per the NFHS-5, the median age of first marriage (among women 20–49 years of age) has increased by 2.0 years during the last decade and a half, from a level of 17.2 years in 2005–06 to 19.2 years in 2019–21. For men (age 25-29), this increased from 22.6 to 24.9 during the same period.
• Growing acceptance of live-in relationships: They are cohabitation agreements where unmarried couples live together without legal or religious sanction. It challenges the sanctity and exclusivity of marriage as a sacrament.
• Growing Consumerism and materialism: It has created a culture of competition, comparison, and dissatisfaction among many Indians who seek happiness and status through money. It has affected the expectations and demands of marriage partners, leading to conflicts and dissatisfaction.
• Casual Approach towards Commitment: The rising popularity of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble indicates a change in the youth’s approach towards relationships, fostering a more casual attitude towards dating and commitments.
• Individualism: The shift is reflective of a broader acceptance of individual autonomy and personal preferences taking precedence in marital decisions, illustrating a transition towards a society where personal choices are valued more than age-old traditions.

Counter Arguments

• Traditional Values: Many influential families, still hold grand and traditional wedding ceremonies, indicating a continued reverence for traditional matrimonial norms that have been the backbone of Indian marriages.
• Religious Beliefs: Places of religious importance like Tirumala are still sought-after destinations for weddings, underscoring the enduring significance and respect for sacred ceremonies and rituals in Indian marriages, depicting a strong adherence to the sanctity enclosed in religious rites.
• Community Pressure: In various parts of India, community assemblies and Panchayats play a vital role in emphasizing the conventional pathway of traditional marriages, reinstating the society’s faith in the age-old practices and encouraging adherence to the same.
• Government Policies: Government initiatives like Kanya Vivah Yojana stand testimony to the fact that marriages are encouraged at the policy level, asserting the government’s role in fostering traditional matrimonial norms.
• Economic Considerations: In several rural areas, families and communities often view marriages from an economic lens, wherein the institution serves as a means to forge economic stability and alliances, emphasizing the necessity of sacramental marriages for creating economically viable units.
• Arranged Marriages: Many families underline the ongoing prominence of arranged marriages, signalling the sustained preference for alliances fostered through familial networks, and thereby, acknowledging the weighted presence of tradition in matrimonial matters.

Conclusion

While marriage as a sacrament is undergoing changes in modern India, with varying degrees of adherence to traditional norms, it is essential to create a balanced approach. Leveraging the above measures can offer a way forward that respects individual choices while retaining the sanctity and significance of marriage, thus carving a path that respects the old while embracing the new.

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