Page 12 - Seniorstoday November 2021 Issue
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Life Lessons
The Joy of Bidaai, the Sorrow of Daan
The beauty of the fundamental rationale and deeper meanings behind the various
marriage ceremonies are lost on most of the people, rues Nagesh Alai
Marriage is a hoary sacred institution a deeper level, is nothing but a tryst with
across cultures and the practices and rituals marriage called differently; the underlying
that go with it have a deeper significance cause and effect are the same. Everyone likes
from religious, philosophical and practical to smell the roses, whatever the name be. S Kumar
perspectives. If one analyses the various In this context, the recent advertisement
marriage rituals amongst different of Mohey, a bridalwear brand (a part of
communities and religions, the fair amount Manyavar), in which the protagonist, Alia
of commonality in these rituals will become Bhat, questions the concept of ‘kanyadaan’
evident. Little wonder, marriage is seen as in a marriage function likening it to
a milestone event in the lives of men and objectification of women, is ludicrous, if not
women even today. downright lack of knowledge and wisdom.
The contemporary live-in relationships Little wonder, that the ad met with derision
that are sporadic amongst millennials and outrage in the social media and had to
is more an intellectual anti-marriage- be withdrawn. One of the key teachings of
establishment stance hiding behind its the Bhagwad Gita is that wrong thinking is
deep insecurities of relationships and trust, the cause of all the problems! Mohey could
commitment phobia and keeping options have done better if only it had restricted
open in the current milieu of ‘here today, itself to brand messaging rather than social
gone tomorrow’. A live-in relationship, at messaging without understanding the
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