Top 7 reasons why arranged marriages work in India

 In a world that is shrinking due to technological advancements, it is but natural for practices to change and a gradual mix of various global cultures. However, still, in some parts of the world like India, arranged marriages are still in practice. Apparently, there should be enough evidence to justify the success of these marriages, one of the reasons for them being still practiced. Some of the possible reasons why they are successful in India could be the following:

• Arranged marriages are more objective as many members of the family and friends are involved in screening the groom or bride, their particulars, details and eventually work towards making the marriage work. In love marriages, the initial few minutes is very often the deciding factor to continue in the relationship and eventually culminate it in marriage. 

• A significant advantage of the arranged marriage system should definitely be the support system in place, starting from scratch. Whereas in a love marriage, it is mostly the man and the woman in question who make decisions, that too hastily, in arranged marriages, the decision is arrived at only after protracted mentoring and advise from the well knit family and at times, friends too. This makes sure that marriages do not fall prey to silly, spur-of-the moment decisions or mistakes. 

• In arranged marriages, the groom and bride have sufficient information and more about each other and beyond. They stress more on the character of the individuals and their families, rather than on external beauty and personalities. The character of the bride or groom is a window into the culture, background and practices of their respective families, which is a necessity for longer sustenance of the marriage. 

• The importance and attention given to education in India is paralleled to no other country worldwide. Being well educated, that too from elite colleges is a walk-through for a groom. A good education provides better for the family, with the groom concentrating only on their career and further education to stabilise it. this paves way for a smoother, friction-free life. Also, it is not an under-statement to say that such educated, career oriented grooms are a catch, at the same time, family members constantly stressing on their worth and dedication

• The family network and their support system is easily one of the biggest advantages of arranged marriages in India. Agreed, they could be occasionally intrusive and a sense of loss of privacy does prevail now and then. Still, the merits clearly outweigh the demerits of the extended support system. The emotional and financial support that families offer is much greater in arranged marriages, possibly because they were instrumental in the match itself; reason enough for more successful arranged marriages.

• A very enticing aspect of arranged marriages that have made them successful in India is the surprise factor. In arranged marriages, although the families of the groom and the bride do their homework before going ahead with the union of the two individuals, for the bride and groom, every day they learn new things about their spouse. This is good grounds for a slow, enduring and strong relationship binding them together; literally, love blooms in arranged marriages. In arranged marriages, since the groom and bride are almost strangers, the need to learn more about one another is greater, this in itself creates a strong bond between them.

These are some of the highly possible reasons for the success of arranged marriages in India. Besides these, there are other factors that could contribute for the success of arranged marriages, like the parents and grandparents coming forward to groom and raise the children, which may not be possible in self-made marriages against families’ wishes. In India, about 90% of the marriages that take place are arranged, this in itself is justification for its worth. This is also a reflection of the nature of its people, inherently traditional, family oriented. Arranged marriages allow the groom and the bride to continue being there for each other’s families; however, this may not be possible if the marriage was done against the wishes of the families. It is evident that the strongly traditional practices and the customs that are still followed in India is yet another factor for the continuing belief and trust in arranged marriages.