Why Is Divorce Still Looked Down Upon By South Asians?
Love blooms and fades with time. Marriages can work out or not. Separating of ways through amicable means is way better than holding on to a relationship which has no meaning ay more. However, in our South Asian families talking about divorce is still a tabooed topic.
Marriages are considered to be sacred and have been placed on such a high pedestal, that often relationships break just because they are unable to fulfill the social norms expected of them to be recognized as a married couple. The pressure in South Asian families to adhere to the societal requirements are such, that it has become natural for most millennials to protest against it.
We are talking about divorce today due to the recent news of the separation of Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal and his wife, former supermodel from India, Mehr Jesia. In a joint statement they wrote, “After a 20-year-long beautiful journey filled with love and beautiful memories, we would like to share, that all journeys have different paths. We feel that it is time for us to move on to different destinations henceforth. We have always been solid when it has come to us, we will continue to be solid for each other and our loved ones, as we embark upon a new journey.”
“Both of us being extremely private people feel strange to be making this statement, but such are the circumstances of our lives. Where the truth can get distorted and lost. We are a family, our love for each other is forever intact and we shall always be there for one another and most importantly, for our children Mahikaa and Myra. We would, therefore, appreciate our privacy through this time. Thank all for their support. Relationships can end, but love lives on. We won’t be commenting on this any further.”
It is not difficult to fathom that at the end of the day, what each one of us seeks is peace. If a relationship loses this vital aspect and staying together seems like an impossible feat – choosing the path of separation is what the wise would do. We saw a similar case last year with Farhan Akhtar and his wife Adhuna Bhabani, and Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan earlier.
The all too prevalent ‘log kya kahenge?’ has destroyed many lives in our community. South Asian families are often tight-knit – but let us not smother people in the name of love and traditions. Understand what’s going on, if something is not working out, then is there really a point in dragging it along as a continual burden? Isn’t a divorce better than an unhappy marriage?
