For all those advocating a revival of "Arranged Marriages":
Our tradition is the concept of Swayamvar : Swayam (Self) + Var (Partner) : Choosing a Partner for Oneself.
Men desirous of marrying a woman gather upon invitation and the woman gets to choose. If she doesn't take a fancy to any of the men present, she can simply ask that another Swayamvar be scheduled. And again. And again. Her call throughout.
And for all those advocating a revival of "Traditional Indian Bride Touching Husband's Feet" behavior :
Read your Ramayana again : Shri Ram stopped Sita from doing that and said "Your place is not in my feet, it's in my heart".
Cut the crap.
Everyone treats everyone else with dignity. And everyone lives with dignity. That's how it's going to be. If you don't like it, ship out.
Note: I must emphasize that there has been an element of stability in marriages and homes in somewhat more conservative times than what is visible today. That's a desirable trait in society that we must try and preserve. Maybe the way forward is to find a balance between conservative and liberal values, between tradition and modernity.
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