Premarital Romance, Dating, and Arranged Marriages in India: The Intersection of Tradition and Globalization

Abstract

India has a distinct family hierarchy and a vertical collectivistic culture. Indian traditional cultural norms discourage young adults from having romantic or sexual relationships before marriage. Romantic liaisons and marriages are fiercely opposed outside the caste and social network. Despite this cultural practice, research in the last decade demonstrated that more young adults in India engage in premarital romantic relationships and prefer a marriage of choice. However, they strongly wish their parents to approve of their partner and arrange their marriage. This increasing trend of love-cum-arranged marriages could be considered how Indian culture adapts to the demands of modernization strongly impelled by globalization. This chapter discusses the dynamics of change in the romantic and marital agency among young adults in India. First, the authors provide a brief historical introduction to the Indian marital system. Then, the authors discuss the changing cultural dimensions that promote marital choice and independence in partner selection (e.g., filial piety). Further, the authors provide an overview of the trends in premarital romantic relationships in India. In addition, the authors discuss the distress and conflict in Indian families due to the increasing premarital romantic and sexual relationships among Indian youth, as evidenced by eloped marriages, forced marriages, and honor killings.

Citation

Kanth, B., Krishnan, A. and Sen, D. (2024), "Premarital Romance, Dating, and Arranged Marriages in India: The Intersection of Tradition and Globalization", Chandra, V. and Blair, S.L. (Ed.) Indian Families: Contemporary Family Structures and Dynamics (Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Vol. 26), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 149-178. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-353520240000026008