In recent times, the Pakistani society has seen many cultural and social changes due to an increase in education, the development of technology, and the media. The most prominent change among these is the drastic transformation of the institution of marriage and the trends related to it. The challenges people encountered in previous years and the independent nature of the youth today has played a great role in bringing about an evolution in the way marriages are arranged today. Marriage in the Early Ages The definition of marriage varies from culture to culture and religion to religion. In the early ages, especially in our country, marriage was considered to be one of the most important events of one’s life that could not be avoided at any rate. It was assumed that a person’s life was incomplete without the ritual of marriage because it was seen as a means of fulfilling a social responsibility and expanding the family tree. In addition, in the past, marriage across social classes or religions was not appreciated. Families had little concern about the feelings or sentiments of the people who were about to tie the knot and whose lives were going to be changed completely. The social, financial, religious, and educational background of a marriage prospect was what sealed the deal. The Institution of Marriage Today In the modern era, the institution of marriage has witnessed a drastic change and it can be attributed to the youth who believes that marriage is not just about producing heirs and pleasing the entire family. For them, it’s more important to have a mutual understanding between themselves and their partners than getting married in the same caste or at a certain age, for example. All in all, the implications, importance, and principles of marriage have been altered massively. Today, a common perception is that the young generation is not interested in marriage or is not aware of its importance. This, however, is incorrect. They have just adopted a belief that makes sense to them and they can relate to: choosing one’s own spouse. The thinking of the Pakistani society has also been influenced by contemporary education, development, and transformed laws and principles, which has also made a great impact on the definition and concept of marriage within the society. Marriage Then Vs Marriage Now There are many things that have changed completely when it comes to marriage in the country today. Here, we discuss some of them. Reasons to Get Married Traditionally, a marriage took place in order to fulfill social promises or religious responsibilities. Today, the youth no longer believes in marrying solely for these purposes; they long for bonding and companionship between themselves and their spouse, regardless of the economic class, social background or sect they each belong to, among other things. Change in Responsibilities Based on Gender In the past, the roles of the two genders were specified; the male was responsible for fulfilling all the financial needs of the family, while females took the role of housewives, in charge of taking care of the children and bringing them up in the best way possible. In ideal modern-day marriages, however, both the partners contribute to all the duties for the well-being of their entire family. Nowadays, the emphasis is on sharing responsibilities. The husband alone is not responsible for earning a handsome amount of money; the wife contributes in full in order to support the family. The male, then, also participates in household chores, as well as taking care of the children. Although this is an ideal case situation that is not true across the board, it is slowly becoming the more prominent setup amongst the educated members of society. Choosing the Right Companion The younger generation no longer believes in finding their soulmates according to the old ‘outdated’ methods where the parents were the only people who had a say in who you could marry and who you couldn’t. Today, they believe in finding a companion on their own terms, based on their own preferences and feelings. Change in the Belief of Marriage in the Same Caste In a traditional marriage, the older members of the family forced their children or grandchildren to marry someone from the same caste as theirs. But in the modern era, the lines between the ideologies, behaviors, and belief systems are a lot more blurred, and so this necessity of marrying in the same caste system does not prevail anymore. The youth refuses to follow these cultural trends and prefers to choose a person who possesses a good heart rather than one who belongs to the same race or caste as them. The drastic changes in marriage trends in the modern era are proof that the society as a whole has evolved and developed. Since the youth has been granted the opportunity to make decisions on their own, be it regarding raising their voice against a social issue, choosing a career path or making the choice of a life partner, they now feel more responsible for their own doings. At the end of the day, that is the way it should be, because one should be given the opportunity to take all the decisions that impact their lives themselves. And marriage, no doubt, is one of them.
