Five Things I Hate about Indian Weddings

Regressive wedding rituals: Indian weddings are super fun until you have to deal with casual sexism and misogyny. With a range of customs and rituals, all Indian weddings are not same- but in many we encounter sexism.

The turn-off about weddings is not just limited to the customs but also the relatives who won't let you enjoy the ceremony in peace. Until and unless they haven't displayed their narrow mindedness in the form of their mean comments like: Why are you wearing this, it's not appropriate; When are you getting married, you are older than the bride? How and why are you drinking, you're a girl! and many such unwanted remarks and comments are what many Indian weddings are made of.

These are 5 regressive things I totally hate about Indian weddings

1. The expenditure

Even today, it is the bride's family, that is expected to bear most of the expenditure for a wedding. On an average, an Indian wedding costs anywhere between 20 lakhs to 5 crores. Instead of overburdening the woman's family to invest all their savings in the ceremony, it would be a better option if both families take an equal responsibility regarding the expenditure.

2. Misogyny is all pervasive

It's 2021 and even today, women have to confront unwanted remarks for wearing the clothes of their own choice. Weddings are probably one of the very few occasions when we get to dress up to our heart's content. But no one leaves an opportunity to judge us because they are too conservative to accept liberated women.

3. Why can't people mind their own business?

Dear relatives and other invitees, just because we attend weddings does not mean we are next in the line. We have several other things to worry about. Life is much more than just getting married and having children.

4. Regressive wedding rituals

The one thing that really gets me. A wedding ceremony in our country is incomplete until a family 'gives away' their daughter through the ritual of kanyadaan. Moreover, the bride is expected to go through the process of fasting until the gharwa ceremony is over. In gharwa, a bunch of relatives and neighbours turn up to the bride and fill her pallu with money as a means of financial support. They still think women can't support themselves. Hmmm....

5. Should a woman break ties with her family after bidaai?

Bidaai should not have to mean a woman's 'permanent departure' from her parents. She shouldn't be made to feel like an outsider at her own home. "Arre, ladki toh paraya dhan hota hai," my friend's mom would say to her every other day.

Leaving the place where a woman has spent her entire life is not easy. Stop expecting her to depart even without bidding her family a proper good bye.

These are just some of the many things that make Indian weddings regressive. Weddings shouldn't have to be a burden on a girl or her family. Why should we have rituals that suggest one side to be superior?

Hopefully our generation will lead the change?

Views expressed are author's own

Also Watch : Why Aren't We Talking Enough About Female Pleasure

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