Why is arranged marriage given more importance in India?

Marriages form the social construct of Indian society. It is given a lot of respect in regards to the traditions, customs, and rituals followed. It is considered the pure and spiritual bond between two individuals unified with the blessings of God.

In India, the traditional way of getting married is through arranged ceremonies. Arranged marriages are given more importance in India than love marriages. The importance of arranged marriages is linked to society's acceptance, expectations, and the family’s responsibility and social status. Arranged marriages have the consent of all the families involved, and the prospective match is chosen by the family alone. We Indians go with the notion of having full faith in family and parents. Parents set out on the journey of finding a suitable match for their child based on their preferences. The relationship under the set-up of an arranged marriage is based on trust, faith, understanding, and mutual respect. Love is not the first factor to be considered when it comes to having an arranged marriage. The couple's love eventually blooms over the course of their married lives.

Marriages in India are not only about two individuals tying the knot together. It is more about two families creating a connection and mingling with each other on a social and personal level. To maintain the pride and status of the family, marriages in India are done after running a proper background check on the prospective partner. There is a matching criteria followed by Indians to find a perfect match. The life partner of an individual is found on the basis of religion practiced, caste, culture, profession, social status, social background, age, horoscope, and physical appearance.

Horoscope and physical appearance play a major role after social status and background. The birth charts of the prospective partners are matched thoroughly. If there is any problem, it has to be fixed before marriage. The physical appearance of an individual matters. The society judges the prospective candidates on the basis of their skin tone, weight, height, and body appearance. This is all taken into consideration while choosing a match.

India is a diverse country, home to different cultures and ethnicities. There are chances of rising conflicts between people with different points of view with respect to their cultural identity. People getting into a matrimonial alliance based on an arranged marriage setup will not have to face such an issue. Parents are going to arrange for their child to be with a person with a similar cultural background and the same social status.

Arranged marriages are also given more importance in India because of the financial security and stability that come with them. Parents tend to find a match for their child based on finances and not educational qualifications. Parents find a potential partner based on their own experience. If the potential match is socially and financially stable, then it comes with the idea of a secured future, and this is what every parent wants.

Arranged marriages have a low divorce rate. The couple tries to talk through their conflicts and differences. If any major issue arises, then families are also involved, and they try to resolve the problem together. As arranged marriages are based on higher levels of lifelong commitment, the couple tries to see through all the conflicts and get back to their happy married life.

Love marriages in India are considered the product of westernised thoughts. The thought of having a love marriage is neither accepted nor appreciated in the Indian community. Arranged marriages come with validation from society. The bond created with the arranged marriage is considered to be the bond blessed by God.

Family and relationships are most important to any Indian. They believe in maintaining and strengthening relationships over time. Arranged marriages lay the foundation for building up new relationships. The importance of arranged marriages in India is increasing day by day for many reasons. The most common reason is failed relationships, and people are turning back to the traditional ways of getting into a matrimonial alliance.