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individuals who love each other and want Here is a true story of a Tamil Brahmin
to be happy overlook or negotiate every boy Harish Jothimani who works in Japan
problem, every hurdle, their families and wanted to marry a Japanese girl but
and finally the whole community try to his parents refused flatly. In a weaker
understand and adjust to each other’s moment the parents revealed that they
rituals, customs and “reeti rewaaz.” were objecting because she is not an Indian.
Sometimes with a bit of initial resentment One Gujarati couple Alka and Jawahar,
but most often adopting the rituals for fun who knew this family, felt they wanted to
and enjoyment. What used to be called a help. So what unfolded next is almost like
love marriage with some bitterness has a fairy tale….. this Gujarati couple formally
evolved into an arranged love marriage! adopted the Japanese girl Miki Ikawa after
Couples who took the plunge of a love all the ritualistic and legal formalities.
marriage often struggled with various Her biological parents came to India and
societal issues and acceptance. It is met her foster parents and then, the much
probably their resilience to make the in love couple were married in a proper
partnership work despite all odds to make Indian ceremony. They live happily in
a successful happy marriage that has Japan with their two children Ayush and
paved the way. People are beginning to Ayan. They visit India regularly to meet
understand each other willingly for the their parents.
happiness of their children. Surprisingly
this has taken a long time to happen. We all
know that Royal families sent proposals for
marriage to Princes and Princesses of other
states, even countries. When a princess
went from one state to another, she was
also expected to adjust and learn the
culture and protocol of her new adopted
home. There are examples of the Maharaja
of Kashmir HH Dr. Karan Singh and the
Maharaja of Gwalior HH Madhavrao
Scindia, (just to name a few) who married
princesses from neighbouring country
Nepal. Nobody thought it odd at that time,
in fact it was seen with awe. Many other
examples can be listed. Our EAM Shri
S Jaishankar has a Japanese wife. One
artist friend living in Delhi has a Japanese
wife too. These women have adjusted
and adapted well to their Indian lifestyle.
Many Gujaratis living in Africa married These days we see so many inter caste
into local communities. I know of a Bengali marriages….. A Sikh girl and a Malyali boy,
boy who married a Swedish girl and was Punjabi girl and Bengali boy, Kashmiri boy
blessed with a baby recently. and Bihari girl, Marathi boy and Sikh girl

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #69 | MARCH 2025 29