How Does An Average Marriage Change An Indian Woman’s Life?

For a 25-year-old women — who tied the knot in March-2014 — the love come arranged marriage brought with it a new city, and also the “responsibility of managing household chores“.

Prior to her marriage, she learned to cook after marriage as her husband “doesn’t cook”.

“I struggled and my husband used to tell me that it would turn out better the next time. Now, I am much a better cook,” said the mother to a three-and-a-half-month-old, who chose to work from home after marriage.

Marriage in India is still a skewed power differential

While marriage brings with it its own set of responsibilities for both partners, it is often the woman who is left to multitask, as she manages domestic responsibilities, the child and the rest of the family, she has no proper career life after marriage. This is the underlying patriarchy that exists in most Indian households, whether affluent, low or middle class, and how it manifests when a woman, post-marriage, comes to a new home to live with her husband. She has no other choice to live according to his whims.

A woman’s life changes drastically after marriage. After marriage, you are accountable not just for your husband but if you live with in-laws, your priorities are forced to change to theirs. Surprisingly, most women do not complain about the extra responsibility post marriage because in a way they have been preparing for it.

Image source: a still from the film Ammu

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