I'm sick and tired of arranged marriages and the slew of shit they bring. Evils ranging from dowry to casteism to superstition like astrology are all prevalent in today's India in a big way, thanks to this epidemic.
I personally know people who took decisions to please their parents or society and gave up on their love. I know people whose relationships didn't culminate into marriage because of this sickness. I know people who lost touch with their families just because the person they married wasn't right for them according to the thousand year old moronity doctrine.
People are mostly dumb. They don't use their brains, and only rely on others to approve of what they're doing. These “others” are the people who have no clue about why things are the way they are, what morality or humanity means. They just are interested in imposing their beliefs on others. Beliefs which they themselves didn't put any thought into. They just believed what they were told to believe.
I think, that as intelligent, educated and sensible individuals, we should do our part to put an end to this culture of blackmail and mental torture prevalent throughout our society.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against suggested alliances where parents suggest a suitable spouse to their child and then leave it to them to evaluate or decide what they want. My problem is with the model where these supposedly grown-up, educated and independent adults give in to the pointless notions of society and blackmail of their parents to choose the evil. In my opinion, parents should be glad that their children are mature enough to take their life decisions responsibly and are not dependent on them, instead of rallying them around telling them what to do throughout their lives.
I think it's all about power and ego (as with most other things where people are trying to control other people). Parents think that they'll lose the control on their children if they allow them to marry who they want. Society thinks that people should all be sheep who are following the trend set by the herd. Religion obviously shows love marriages as wrong since they lose control over telling people who they should spend their lives with. And in case someone happens to choose a person with a different belief system, the babas stand to lose their customers.
Arranged marriages are bullshit and I'll be one of the happiest people on the planet if this travesty was abolished.
Here's an article published in 'The Hindu' on the topic: Not for arranged marriage