The introduction of the Internet can have vastly different implications on traditional societies and practices such as arranged marriages in India. Marriage is viewed differently in India as compared to the West where it is largely a matter of individual choice. In India, marriage is not only viewed as a union between two individuals but also as the beginning of an enduring relationship between two families. The decline in the influence of extended and joint family ties has resulted in structural holes in family networks, making it difficult for families to find suitable life-partners for their children. This led to the emergence of matchmaking services and classified advertisements called as matrimonial in newspapers. With the advent of the Internet, a new channel in the form of matrimonial Web sites has emerged as an alternative way to find partners for marriageable members of the family. Arranged marriages can provide a degree of emotional security and economic stability that most people in the West would not expect from marriage. Even when raised in a western culture, Indians prefer arranged marriages.
At the very least, the technology provides a number of relief to families seeking partners for marriageable family members. In modern matrimonial websites, each profile enables users to perform more complex searches and use a variety of criteria to filter and screen potential partners. Depending on the online service, further communication may be facilitated with online chat and/or e-mail allowing for further exchange of information and interest. Finally, since the technology does not distinguish between parents or prospective partners, it has the potential to completely disinter mediate the role of family members and emulate the more western model of individuals finding their own partners for marriage. Thus, the use of matrimonial Web sites in India provides a fascinating setting for examining how these relief provided by the technology are appropriated. It provides an opportunity to examine changes in power and control structures and the relationship between technology and social institutions.
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| Phases Of Online Matrimony |
Process of online matrimony:
- Search
- Matching
- Interaction
- Discussion
- Meetings
- Conclusion
Searching in matrimonial sites:
The decision that a son or daughter should enter the marriage market is usually made by the parents. Even with online matrimonial services, parents continue to perform the role of initiating, searching and filtering potential partners. Parents also perceived a greater responsibility in having their daughter married at the right time with the right match because they perceived that they were custodians of their daughters until they joined their ‘true’ family. This put greater pressure on parents to initiate and start the search for a suitable partner.
Matching a prospect profile:
Traditionally, arranged marriages have been brokered by family and friends, an elaborate process laced with social nuances that involves matching candidates on the basis of caste, community, religion and horoscopes. The use of online matrimonial services in fact seems to make it easier to find someone within the sub-caste of your choice. In the absence of these matrimonial services, the ability to find someone within one’s caste group depended on the reach of your extended family and the resources available. Sometimes, this would also create decision delay, as there was always hope that someone more perfectly matching the filtering criteria could come along in the future.
Interaction with prospect profile:
Perhaps the biggest change that online matrimonial services have introduced to arranged marriage is opportunity for interaction. In the traditional off-line mode, once a potential match was identified, the next step would be for the prospective groom’s family to visit the prospective bride’s family at home. With online services, many of these restrictions are being lifted. Prospective partners are often allowed to interview each other online without parental supervision. This represents an interesting shift in the role of the family in determining the compatibility of both partners.
Discussion for final call:
With online services, the role of immediate social network, classifieds and third-party brokerage services is gone. Technology allows users to cut across boundaries created by distance and social networks allowing creating a larger pool of potential candidates. Matrimonial site allows families and potential partners to express their subjective preferences that are more direct and reflect more rational criteria.
Meetings:
At last, final meeting which is attended by broad family and friends to finalize the decision for marriage. It also set the date and proceedings for marriage. At last, the hectic but important phase for marriage is ended.
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| Trends In Arranged marriage India |
Vectors of Marriage Information:
- Friends and family
- Relatives
- Ghataks
- Online matrimony
- Newspaper
- Associates
- Marriage bureau
The traditional way of finding marriage partners through family and friends provides a certain amount of accountability and there is trust which when violated can have social implications. With the search for partners going online, the process is taken to find partner from large pool of choices. While the search can cut across traditional social networks to find potential partners they are otherwise unlikely to reach, it makes judging the credibility of the information online even harder. Many families indicated that conducting a background check was very difficult with online matrimonial services, but still in these days, online matrimonial offer the biggest opportunity to find a suitable partner. Weddings continue to be an integral part of people's lives and therefore much advancement in the process is necessary. Visit www.wmmatrimonial.com to make your wedding search delightful one.
Reference
By:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arranged_marriage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spouse
Social Media Reference:
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