Can live in relationships be considered a new age form of marriage?.
INTRODUCTION: - The concept of ‘live in relationship’ as it is, I believe cannot be compounded under a single or in other words universal realm, as far as its definition is concerned, both in the branch of law as well as in the English literature. The limitation in this regard is certainly not the limitations of intellect of the intellectuals. But on the contrary, live in relationship lacks in a proper definition due to the very bohemianism associated with the concept. This definition of being in ‘live in relationship’ varies from person to person. I think, an individual’s perception towards live in relationships varies as per his/ her perception towards relationships as a whole and towards marriage in general.
From the above explanation regarding live in relationships, it can be certainly be said that the word relationships is added in live in relationships only because of living together of two sexes and in this regard most of the time, one is male and the other being female. In this way, I would not like to go further to the LGBTQ debate. Moreover, live in relationships lacks the very sanctity that is associated with the term marriage. As marriage in the special scenario of Indian society is not only the union of the two opposite sexes, but also with it is also associated the very concept of the approval of the very society in which the marriage is being conducted.
Thus, in this way, it can be boldly and courageously said that if we think of acceptability of live in relationship in Indian society how far even if, we wear the veil of modernism, it certainly lacks acceptability in this regard. Therefore, live in relationships is a relationship only due to the transitory acceptability of a male and a female to live under one roof, and most of the time, in this regard, having approval of the families or immediate society. Thus, ‘live in relationships’ lacks in social approval. This is so because transitory and temporary relationships has no meaning in the Indian societal order and in its values and culture as far as marriage as well as conjugal life of young couples are especially concerned.
Even if, we consider ‘live in relationships’ as a new form of marriage or a modern avatar of marriage, then, in this context, we must make an introspection of the very concept of ‘modernity’ of ours. Modernism as far as marriage is concerned should also take under its ambit the very society of all generations coming under the ambit of it. Live in relationships on the contrary most of the time is related with the arrogance of the parents to not let the so-called romantic couples to marry or in a larger perspective, live in relationships also takes place due to the non-approval of the immediate society to the marriage. In other words, in the cases of ‘live in relationships’ the element of arrogance is more and rather the element of acceptability to the very relationships is lacking to a large extent.
It is rightly said, especially in the Hindu scriptures, that marriages are ‘made in heaven’. In this context, “live in relationships’ cannot be made to be said to happen in heaven nor it has the sanctity associated to be quoted from any scriptures. Thus, ‘live in relationships’, is the last resort, I think, for the sex maniac to satisfy their urge for sex. As soon as there is a, what in modern parlance called as “break-up”, in such a scenario, the male and the female sexes ultimate resort are the two words ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ and thereby back to their homes provided these so called ex-couples are financially not well off.
In our country, the ‘era of sanctity’ in relationships has been taken over by the ‘era of depression’. One of the reason for this is, the so called “break-up’’ among the young couples. In this context, live in relationships has also added ‘fuel to the fire’. A couple in ‘live in relationships’ has neither the societal approval nor it has to a large extent ‘the peace of mind’ in such a relationship. What is prevalent in ‘live in relationships’ is the sheer arrogance to carry on a relationship whose very foundation is more of arrogance of the individuals then onult of such a relationship is chaos and a messy situation in the lives of these couples.
CONCLUSION: - All in all, live in relationships cannot be to a minutest extent be considered as a new form of marriage. Rather, it is a new form of destruction of a couple’s life. In this regard, the difference in meaning between the words, ‘acceptance’ and ‘disapproval’ is the same as is the difference between ‘traditional marriage’ and ‘live in relationships’. While marriage in its age-old form has, the societal sanctity associated with it, but on the other hand, ‘live in relationships’, has a societal disapproval among the lion share of the members of the society. Thus, ‘live in relationships’ and marriage are both opposite in nature. If traditional Indian marriage is having an element of sanctity in its very nature, then on the contrary, ‘live in relationships’ in the specific context of our country India is a scandalous concept as a whole.
-JNANDEEP BORA.