HINDU MARRIAGE ACT
Program starts with search stage
When daughter comes of age
Her horoscope is distributed
Among relatives friends listed.
Stars of selected boys verified
Attributes of boys and girl matched
Ones with max alignment analysed
Then boy's family is scrutinized.
Now the time for boy girl to meet
Boy's family comes to girl's nest
Parents get to know each other
Exchange experiences rather.
Girl is dressed up for the occasion
She is waiting for call from someone
Mother goes to the room to bring her
Girl brings tray of snacks coffee water.
Mother tells daughter to greet guests
Girl touches feet of boy's parents
And she sits opposite the boy
Boy gives a quick glance in joy.
Parents decide to let boy girl meet
Boy girl go to room to talk in private
Girl looks at boy for first time
Boy smiles in the meantime.
Boy girl share their likes dislikes
Their interests in art music films
Girl asks is it okay if for work she goes
Boy agrees to share household chores
Boy says he likes her the way she is
Girl also nods her head in defence
Boy assures he will protect her dignity
Girl confirms she will uphold family.
Boy girl come back to their parents
And convey their mutual consonance
Both parents happy with relationships
Marriage is a union of two families.
Some have engagement ceremony
When the wedding is announced
Now marriage ritual starts in haste
Groom bride applied turmeric paste
They bathe and dress up for music
Bachelorhood to be given a tick.
Groom bride circle sacred fire seven times
For their life together they take seven vows
Sacred thread around bride's neck groom ties
Sanctifying their blessed relationship as spouses.
Ritual ends with a first night
Bride groom spend in private
By next morning they may lose virginity
They say marriage gets consummated in theory
Off they go elsewhere on a honeymoon
For more private moments to consume.
These days boy girl meet for several days
Some even try live-in for a few months or years
To decide compatibility between themselves
Once agreed they go through the marriage rituals
Ending with a certificate of registration of marriages
That helps them get a visa to travel to other countries.
This may not be true with other cultures
Man woman may lose patience in some years
That ends in divorce and remarriage
Cycle begins once again to salvage.
- Gopinath S
(penned without ChatGPT support)