I watched the 3rd episode of Satyameva Jayate yesterday. The Big fat Indian Wedding. Have you seen it?
The episode started by AK asking what the favourite past time/passion of Indians was. Not surprisingly, the answer was marriage (sic).
He then asks what people want for their marriage, their dreams for marriage. A guy said that he would like to arrive in a helicopter and a girl said that she would like to marry in one of the royal palaces on Rajasthan. It was just 2 minutes into the program and I was feeling disgusted. The voice inside me was shouting – “Please ask these people the same question towards the end of the program. Please do not end this with another letter to some minister or judge.”
In the episode three things stood out for me …
1. Rani capturing her would be in-laws on camera, making their demands. She did not stop at that, she made the whole recording public. Icing on the cake was a guy was eager to marry her just because of the strength of her character.
2. The case of the guy who was kidnapped and married off, so that his parents (and/or he himself) cannot ask for dowry.
3. The case of Bhopal and Bhiwandi where certain communities have made the display of wealth during marriage a taboo.
All these share a similar theme – people dared to think and do different. They were not bogged down by “aisa hee hota hai” attitude. Neither did they stop the reformation to themselves. They took it to the society, to the public in general. Think, what would have happened if Rani and his family had agreed to fulfil the demands; what would have happened if they had just said no and kept quiet.
What stops us from having similar straight and fighting attitude towards everyday life? Only ourselves.
It came through clearly that we should NOT compromise. However small the demand may be, it just degrades the marriage. So, however small the shortcut may be, it compromises the values.
I was really happy that this episode did not end with another letter. I was elated when AK asked the same question again, at the end. (I should become a director or writer, remember the article by Pritish Nandy. His point was not too different from my view of the program.) What really made my day was when the girl who had earlier wanted to marry in the royal palace of Rajasthan, at the end, said that marriages should be minimalistic and if it all it needs to be flashy the bride and groom may share the expenses, NOT the parents!!!
Anyone listening?
