Divorces

  

Divorce: A Taboo in India

Written by: Akhila Mohan

Edited by: Ritika Rana

“All happy families resemble each other, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” ~ Leo Tolstoy.

India boasts of the least number of divorces in the entire world by having only 1% divorces out of total wedlocks. Albeit this fact is so pleasing to read but it hides grave issues under it. The concept of divorce is still a social taboo in India.

In western countries, divorce is a generalised phenomenon but the eastern side of the globe have not yet accepted and come in terms with it. They value family relationships a lot and to save their family, they generally want to ‘adjust’ whether it be with domestic violence or sexual abuse.

Even when the basis of marriage companionship and happiness is threatened, still the option of divorce is scorned upon in our society.

Having a family is essential for gaining a better perspective about life, and we must protect and preserve our families cause they are the one who supports us most. But for that sake we can not compromise on abuse, having no family is far better than having abusive and toxic relationships that can cause severe mental trauma.

It is not that every marriage works, some doesn’t work out and that is not because that the two individuals are not able to adjust or anything of such sort, it is simply because they are not meant to be together. And the fault lies in none, thus divorce becomes the solution.

The basic reason for this social taboo is that - It’s really hard for many Indians to accept the fact that a woman can be independent and live a life on her own. The patriarchate ‘thought process’ is so ingrained in this society that there are so many women who look down upon other divorced women. Also the remarraiges of divorcees has been a thorny issue in India. There is a prejudice against divorcee of being "defective" and "second hand". And for women it is way too high than man owing to our patriarchal roots. Our society also has problem with people being single. If you are of a certain age, you must marry or there must be something wrong with you; that's the general mindset. Any bachelor boy/girl who has gone house-hunting can attest to the problems they had to face for finding a place just because they were single. Divorcees are even more under a social microscope, because not only they are single, there must be something wrong with them.

But in a country like India we see women adjusting to save their family in terms of reputation, as divorce is something that people from promising families never do. Similarly, here divorce is equal to “Die-vorce” since that is the way we call and understand the term. There’s no future ahead after divorce is the motto that comes along with it. But in modern society, it has become a common sight since individuals are getting educated and are standing up for their liberties. So let’s hope that in the future no more individual has to suffer, let’s raise our voices against such social taboos because India is a free country and divorce is just an attempt to end up unhealthy relations.