Informative Speech-Marriage customs - Essay Example

Marriages in India It’s said that marriages are made in heaven. Marriage is like a pledge which last throughout your life time. It’s a universal phenomenon with cultural and religious differences. It is considered as the most important part of one’s life which’s equivalent to starting a new life, a new journey, a new beginning. Today’s marriage like any other social institutions has changed over centuries and centuries, it has become more civilized and advanced (Clark-Decs, 2010). Marriage is a commitment which one has to lead thorough thick and thin of life.

It is then the responsibility of both the partners that how they lead their lives (Kalman 2009).Round the globe different cultures have there own marriage customs mainly contradicting on the basis of their religion (Kalman, 2009). Each of the culture has unique dress code, cuisine line, ceremonies in their respective weddings all poles apart from each other. For example: Asian brides usually wear red on their wedding day while, European wear long white gowns (Gokulsing and Dissanayake, 2009). Though there are many traditions in many cultures but by performing this ritual there’s only one goal and one intention which is to unite two souls, two hearts and two individuals into one (Smith, 2003).

The topic of my speech is arrange marriage customs in India and the steps needed for it. India is rich and vast when it comes about their culture and their weddings are considered as the most colorful weddings of Asia (Smith, 2003). Arranged marriages are those marriages in which both the family of about to be bride and groom sit together and plan the wedding. Usually the partner of either the girl or the boy is chosen by the parents, communal elders or by matchmakers. In arrange marriages a lot of things are considered like religion, ethical values, class, education, background and a lot more things which at least should be of exact match or should be equal (Srinivasan, 1997).

Here are the steps which are taken for arrange marriages in India:A. Selection of a life partner:In India it is supported that a parent will never consider something bad for the child. Parents are one of those people who are present at every stage of your life as a guide. As marriage is an important decision of one’s life so how parents at such stage can make wrong decision or suggestion (Visweswaran, 2011).Arrange marriages also involve choices, it’s wrongly said that it does not. Usually nothing happens with the affirmative signal of the bride and the groom (Viharini, 2010).

The first step thus is to select a life partner, which is usually done by the parents or elders (Stephen, 2010). B. Settling issues like Dowry amongst the families of the bride and the groom: Although not everyone demands dowry, still usually it’s quite difficult for the family of the bride to search an adequate life partner for her and to send her off with enough dowry. It’s been observed in all over in India that the bride’s family is asked to give dowry if they want their girl to live a happy life.

Being a parent they search for such families which do not ask for dowry and are of same class with same norms and values (Stephen, 2010).C. Planning the marriage ceremony: Once the issue of dowry is settled, families move forward and finalize the dates when the fateful event it to take place. Arrangements includes inviting guests, arranging for food for the Baraat, getting gold jewelry made for the bride, arranging gifts for the family of the groom and getting the bookings done at the place where marriage ceremony is to take place (Banerji, 2007). D. Actual ceremony:Once the proposal is accepted, dowry and other issues pertaining to religious or social rights of bride and groom are settled and marriage ceremony arrangements are made, then it is time for the actual ceremony (Ali, 2011).

In India, marriage ceremonies are full of colors. Events like Sangeet, Mayon, Mehndi, Barat and Reception are organized to enjoy this event with friends and family (Banerji, 2007). Though with evolution of traditions men and women all over the world choose their spouse with increased liberty and consider it as their right to select or reject someone on the basis of their opinion. But in India arranged marriages still has high percentage.References: Ali, D. (2011) Courtly Culture and Political Life in early Medieval India.

London: Cambridge University Press.Banerji, C. (2007) Eating India: An Odyssey into the food and culture of the Land of Spices. USA: Bloomsbury Press. Clark-Decs, I. (2010) A companion to the anthropology of India. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Gokulsing, K. M. and Dissanayake, W. (2009) Popular Culture in Globalized India. London: Routledge.Kalman, B. (2009) India: The People. Crabtree Publishing Company. Smith, D. (2003) Hinduism and modernity. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Srinivasan, R. (1997) Cultures of the World: India.

Times Edition. Stephen, B. (2010) India-Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to customs and culture. Kuperard. Viharini, J. D. (2010) Enjoying India: The Essential Handbook. Tara Satara Press. Visweswaran, K. (2011) Perspectives on Modern South Asia: A reader in Culture, History and Presentation. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.