Cross cultural marriages can help blur the differences

Cross cultural marriages can help blur the differences

Introduction:

India might have the greatest diversity in the world where cross cultural people live around the same place but the same cannot be said about the differences that erupt off and on, leading to clashes and violence relating to smallest of issues. Do we still find it difficult to accept our diversity? We cannot expect the western media, that goes far ahead to show how we fight in the name of religion, when we do not have tolerance and respect for our diversity. India is a nation with varied culture and religion, we are open for celebrating each other's festivals but when it comes to cross cultural marriages, a silence lingers usually followed by lack of acceptance from either side. In this context it can be said that encouraging cross cultural marriages can help blur the differences that make us fight in the name of faith.

For

1. Lack of tolerance is one of the major reasons why interfaith marriages are less popular in India, especially amongst middle class families. Studying together and then working together gives youths of diverse religion an opportunity to understand each and other, fall in love sometimes or find in each other their better half of their expectation. Only of they could have the courage to keep aside religious differences and move to marriage, the family they together raise would be an ideal one from the prospect of country's diversity.

2. Interfaith marriages is a union to two different cultures, otherwise not tolerating each other, opening ways for understanding each other's cultures and upholding their own to respect each other with their own faith and beliefs. We fail to appreciate coexistence and put all our efforts in proving the others wrong. This is forgone in inter cultural marriages where both are open to acceptance.

3. Children of cross faith parents are said to be more tolerant and wise when it comes to religion and faith. They know better than to judge one or the other on grounds of differences. Usually both parents celebrate their own culture along with being a part of the other's celebrations, making the children more appreciative of both cultures and having the choice to follow whichever religion/culture they prefer. Being bilingual and broad minded is an added advantage for children of interfaith parents.

4. Differences cannot be sorted or removed; they have existed and will always exist. Not talking of the differences is not the solution. Acknowledging them and taking through them to find ways to be secure about one's own belief is what makes inter cultural marriages a good thing for our country.

5. Interfaith marriages produces families that are less or sometimes unmoved by religious clashes that happen most of the time. These clashes seems to affect them the least since they know better of the other with whom they have been sharing their life rather than hearing the orthodox judgement of politicians and so-called-saints. On the other hand, common people are largely moved to protests when petty made-up issues like "love jihad" and forced conversion are brought to effect.

Against:

1. The biggest disadvantage for interfaith couples is that their own family differences never tend to cease. You get a package of displeased in-laws and neighbours when u marry outside your own culture or religion. They will never cease to remind you that you are an outsider in their family and this can get depressing, especially for the girl who has to share the space with the boy's family.

2. Lack of understanding can come up when the time of lust subsides. One might miss their own culture to the extent of being unhappy with the other and that can put the marriage to danger. When one's own marriage to at the precipice of falling apart, usually leaving behind the bitterness of separation, it would be wrong to say that the nation would benefit from it.

3. Racism is one the major problems that couples of inter cultural marriages face in India. Not everyone has the same fate and of course a wise father as the lead protagonists of Chetan Bharat's Two States.

4. When both the parents are confident of their own religion, they would want their children to grow up following the same and that can be confusing at times when their festivals fall on same days. Children can develop liking for one religion, usually the parent with whom they are closer and dislike for the other if they don't do well with the other parent. This too is not something we expect for the future of our nation.

5. Different religion and culture have diverse ideologies and that makes it even more difficult for cross cultural marriages to prosper. One is left confused on whether they had to give up too much to be with the one they fell in love. Regret can also creep up within, diminishing prospects for understanding or raising a family of mixed faith.

Conclusion:

Inter cultural marriages might have hurdles of their own but they are still gaining popularity in India and abroad. Celebrities have been known to be the first to step up and embrace cross culturalism. We need to stop imposing restrictions on orthodox grounds and start accepting that when people of cross culture can share lives at workplaces and educational institutes, be friends and have goodwill for each other, marriages between them is also a good step towards appreciating our diversity. Only if we could let youth decide their own future, we can see in days to come a better India, free from religious clashes.