The modern Indian marriage

It feels sad to hear about couples in love, together for years, suddenly separating. Erstwhile, marriages were made by two families who felt their children would be compatible.

Miraculously, they survived and endured. No matter what, a man never left his wife and vice-versa. Since the bold advent of love, couples have begun to take defiant and impulsive choices. Overnight, they promise each other a lifetime of love and understanding.

While some are blessed and accepted by family, others are ostracised by close relations, society and religious institutions. Previously, wedding guests blessed a couple to remain together forever and prosper. Now, guests speculate on the shelf-life of the marriage of a newly wedded couple.

With divorce easily attainable, both spouses work at being independent until neither requires the other 'to complete each other' anymore. With abundant reasons to terminate a marriage, it is tough to linger in the hope of improvement in a relationship.

Any form of abuse, infidelity or disrespect aside, a marriage requires a man and his better half to be one complete and complacent unit.

They need to rely on each other completely while allowing space for mistakes and learning. The line of communication has to be open twenty-four by seven to one's family no matter how busy one may be. Relations, acquaintances, friends and colleagues fall lower in the line of priority. Period.

Relationships are fragile. One open stitch in a cherished garment, if left unrepaired, eventually causes the entire fabric to fall apart. No amount of mending after that will bring back its old glory.

Bite your pride once in a while and actively pursue common interests and talk to each other openly to remain intimate in the face of challenges and unsavoury gossip.

Perhaps your spouse has disappointed you in some way and continues to offend out of sheer ignorance of your need for their sensitivity. Talk to him/her openly and unashamedly about your needs before you decide to shut them out of your life permanently. If it fails, at least you tried.

The writer is a popular actor