Divorce soars in India's middle class

GoanCanuck

Divorce soars in India's middle class
(Filed: 01/10/2005)

Worldwide

Divorce rates are soaring among India's newly affluent middle classes, as working women with independent incomes refuse to submit to the traditional ideal of marriage.

Cases in New Delhi have doubled in five years to a projected figure of 8,000 for 2005, with similar rises seen in Calcutta, Bombay and Bangalore.

Most marriages are still arranged by the parents, with the bride and groom meeting on only two or three occasions before the ceremony.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...01/wwide01.xml

mite

vowwwwwww

thats gr8 news

why should 2 people continue to drag if they don't enjoy being together.

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by the way , wheres india?

otwisted

Its understandable, as women are entering the workplace, the old traditions and mindsets of lifelong committment regardless of personal happiness or a fulfilling marraige are shifting as well.

crvlvr

I wonder what the divorce rate in India is? Anyone know? http://www.divorcemag.com/statistics/statsWorld.shtml

SHIMLA

Aparently, the middle class youngsters of today are being rushed into marriage by their parents, who still exercise control on such matters. Its here that social pressures win over personal ambitions, leading to frustration; and ultimately divorce.

Its high time the educated youngsters decide firmly, speak up boldly; and remain single if that's their choice.

Isn't prevention better than cure ?

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Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

sadhuji

a stable marriage depends on adjustments, you have to give a mile to get a mile. that is one of the major problems with youngsters of today. they are too adamant, they do not know how to compromise. a result of nuclear families - they, poor chaps, have never learnt what growing up with sacrifices is like.

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mooning over a moon journey

lotus blossom

i agree wholeheartedly. i think that this is very empowering news for both men and women. i look forward to the day when in all of india (and everywhere else in the world) there is freedom to chose one's mate based on mutual attraction and love versus politics and finances.

i have heard time and again how low india's divorce rates are, thus the whole arranged marriage thing must be working. well, if a person is forced into marrying someone how would they have the freedom to walk away from it if it is not working? maybe our western love marriages have a lousy success rate, but at least there is choice.

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Not all who wander are lost

Rika

When my fiance told his parents about our plans to marry, he was certain there would be resistance. As it turns out, they are fine with it. Apparently, they were trying to arrange his marriage previously and once he let them know that we were in fact engaged, they let go of the notion. Thank goodness! (whew!)

I wonder, though, on the whole how many parents respond the same way my future in-laws did? I'm guessing -- please correct me if anyone knows -- that it's more difficult to choose one's own future mate in the the rural areas than it is in the more urban ones. I look forward to being educated about this.

SHIMLA

I would put a large part of the blame on parents, who always want to see their children "married and settled" as early as possible. They do not bother to check whether their child is ready for marriage. This old fashioned thinking has to be thrown out of the window. Marriage is something which should not be rushed into. Again, marriage has to agree with an individual; its not everyone's cup of tea. Its high time the youngsters speak up firmly and remain single, if they so desire. Its their job to convince their parents.

edwardseco

If I remember the 60 census had it at 2% and the 70 at 10%! However, some of this is taking old fashioned "seperations" out of the closet. Manure happened even in the "old days". I believe the rate increases sharply with love marriages (Whats love got to do with it... for you Turner fans)..

upendora

The low divorce rate in India is probably due to better selection done by most of the parents. They can think better about long term interests.
Of course there are bad parents too and in those cases its good for a divorce to occur.

Its amazing to see to so many mis-conceptions about India's marriage and caste customs. My guess is that in educated classes, more than 97% of marriages happen by the consent of both partners. Its just arranged by papents rather than only marriage agencies.

Lovemax

Its good in a way but only till the time there is no responsibility of your kid\s. I have personally seen cases where in getting separated after having a baby takes place and it is generally difficult for the female counterpart to adjust with, when the society also fails to show signs of help for the same.

Everything is fine, we know we are growing up and times changing but then its not good to get married under influencial conditions and then realising it after a long time that two are not compatible enough to live with each other.... till somepoint I agree to it but then not after you have a family to support and you decide to runaway from your responsibilities...

i pro'lly wont say its good but then in a way it is good but with due regards to all - rethought of all the situation is necessary.

zenkris

the stupidest thing about all this is that many people are still so stupid that they think it's better for the children to stay together and be miserable (for the sake of the children) than separating and going on with their lives.

in my case i was relieved when my parents finally divorced when i was about 15 and life was much better afterwards for all involved.

much of what has been said is true as well. for example many modern people don't like to make many compromises and since women tend to have jobs nowadays they have the option of divorce.

but if things just don't work out, it's better for the kids as well to get divorced than to live together in bitterness.

i see from the chart that where i live the rate of divorce is 26 percent, which considering that divorce is absolutely no taboo here gives me the impression that our "love marriages" are no less successful than indian ones.

it's all about adjustment in the end...

edwardseco

I think the jury is very much still out on the above. Singlr parentage is highly related to poverty and social problems and an interesting cross generational persistance of divorce..

Nick-H

I think that most youngsters returned the verdict long since that, like Zenkris, they would prefer their parents to part than to live in a broken-down marriage.

The difficulties, practical and financial, of single-parenting is a whole other issue...

(and, of course, divorced people do not necessarilly stay single)