Modernization in India
India is a large country of lots of diversity, complexity, and traditions surrounding many cultures, ethnicities, and languages. As other countries keep on becoming more modernized, India is as well. Other countries’ modernized habits are influencing societal concepts and expectations in India to adapt. With a little over 1.3 billion people, there are many people in India with different backgrounds, the population is continuously growing, and modernized ideas are being spread.
Patterns due to Modernization in India
Due to India becoming more modernized there are various apparent patterns that have changed in India. The population continues to grow, new ideas are being spread, and new developments are being made. Certain patterns in the social aspect that have become apparent due to modernization are (Impact of Modernization on Indian Society):
- Introduction of new value systems such as equality, justice, individualism, etc.
- Spreading of more liberal views
- Introduction of structural changes in social institutions like marriage, family, caste etc.
- There are some eliminative changes like disappearance of cultural traits, behavior pattern, values etc.
- Emergence of the middle class
- People having to migrate because of their jobs
- Introduction of new institutions like banking, mass media communication etc.
- Technological advances
Modernization Patterns: Influencing Marriage in India
The modernization patterns stated above are influencing and changing traditional arranged marriage practices in India. With the introduction of more liberal views of equality and individualism in India, young adults in Indian cultures are seeing how greatly individualized people in other countries are. This is causing these young adults to want more of a say in who there marry because in traditional arranged marriage the couple does not usually have a huge voice. With these new value systems spreading, along with the emergence of the middle class, structural changes are being seen (Social Changes in India ). One of the structures being altered is the caste system. Although the caste system is still apparent in Indian culture and important to the people in India, people in the newer generation are becoming more lenient with caste because of the spreading of liberal views. Also, some cultural traits and value are beginning to disappear due to modernization. With young adults seeing the freedom and different marriages in other countries, young adults in India are being introduced to new types of marriages and new types of meeting people that they didn’t know existed. Technological advances are also becoming more modernized and dating apps and websites are being introduced to people in India as well.
Overall, modernization and all the patterns it has produced have changed arranged marriage practices in India. Although arranged marriages are still common, the arranged marriage practice has been shifted from traditional arranged marriage to a more modernized arranged marriage practice.
Arranged Marriages in India 