Matrimonial Melodies

Marriage is an institution that has always been a controversial topic ever since it was invented. I still wonder what might have put man in need of such a complicated organization. Nobody knows for sure when the first ever marriage was performed. For centuries, we've been debating and displaying the pros and cons of this institution. Courtrooms witness moments of despair mingled with relief in the form of divorce cases. Is marriage one of the by-products of civilization? Or is it a systematic method approved with an eugenic approach? Why are brothers not allowed to marry their own sisters (In most parts of the world save some tribal areas)? Why do men marry women younger than themselves? What makes marriage so special and indispensable? A vast horizon of questions emerge as we contemplate.

We often come across couples complaining about difficulties in continuing as life partners. Most of the marriages end up being disasters, though the couples physically live together. Several hurdles prevail in the path of marriage. In a multi-faceted society like ours, we have all sorts of monsters such as caste, dowry, male chauvinism, and so on. Western culture is no safer than ours. Marriage is no more sacred for them. It's just a kind of mutual agreement. Once you get into a quarrel with your spouse, the very root of the marriage is shaken, and you are out of it! No wonder children use the initials of their mothers. After all, one can change his or her father, but not the mother.

It's surprising that we haven't invented something like 'spouse management' yet. In most of the families, marriage exists only because of the patience and sacrifice of either of the couple. Still, they get together when a problem arises. There is a mutual understanding between the two. Good children are brought up by good parents. When you compare the life history of a criminal to that of a genius, the difference becomes apparent. Good parents bring up good children; good marriage makes good parents. Thus, it entirely depends on being together.

But how does this make us different from animals? Lions stay together in prides. Sheep stay together in herds. Birds stay together in flocks. The difference between them and us is that we have emotions, logical thinking, and understanding. Marriage is all about sacrifice. Modern day marriages have taken a new dimension. People fight for the right to perform gay marriage. There are states that have approved it. There are laws that approve it. Marriage doesn't need a man and a woman anymore. Gone are those days. It is no more the same old one-way journey. In the world of metrosexual celebrities, marriage is not an essential aspect of life. Yet, whenever I see the old couple walking every evening, hand in hand, I realize the real meaning of marriage. I feel like visiting the sanctum sanctorum of a sacred institution.