Thirty—The new marriage deadline?

“She’s 28?!” exclaimed Mrs. Mehra “I don’t think Rahul wants a wife that old” but three months later she was dancing on her grandson’s wedding reception.

This just proves that age is just a number. Long gone are the days when along with the girl’s physical appearance, culinary and housekeeping skills, age was also a certain “qualification” for a bride to be! In the past two decades, the ideal age for marriage for an Indian girl rose from early twenties to thirties. But how did the bar reach so high? Earlier, in the Indian society, it was expected from a girl to get married as soon as she touches 20’s. Parents thought and made their daughters believe that they belonged to another house, another family. A woman was never able to come out of her shell, apply what she had studied nor explore the world on her own. Being the dutiful daughter she was expected to take care of a new family and get rid of her parents’ responsibility.

“Well, thank god, things have changed” says Roshini, a 20 year old engineering student. She continues, “I wouldn’t be thinking of getting married any time soon. I will graduate in another year, and after that I need to concentrate on my career and go for a world tour! So, marriage is definitely not on the cards” Like her, many other girls want the same thing, a blossoming career and the independence that comes with it. In today’s world, where the prices of almost everything is ever increasing and everyone wants a better and luxurious lifestyle, it’s a necessity for both the partners in a marriage to earn. Any career would require at least a good five years to stabilize and that’s why girls push away their hitch date. “Once you get married and share your life with your partner, the responsibilities add up and you never get a chance to explore yourself” says Yasmin, a 23 year old software engineer. At this pace, women are becoming successful in every field and becoming independent, they no longer need a man to support them financially or emotionally. “I married my wife when she was 29. She was successful in her catering business and had enough experience to take over my business too. Thanks to her, we are able to give our kids a very comfortable lifestyle. I am very proud of my wife” says Rakesh, a 56 year old businessman. So, the next time your grandparents blackmail you for an early marriage, tell them you want to be an independent woman first and then marry!

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About the Author: This article is contributed by Sibani Rath, our intern.