Role of Family in Gujarati Matchmaking: A Pillar of Support and Tradition

 

Families have always played an integral role in shaping the lives of Indian youths, and Gujarat is no exception to the role. The elders in the family stay as a guiding star for their future generations and impart their well-intended insights in almost all aspects, ranging from education, career and even marriage. But matchmaking in the traditional way in Gujarat tends to become a very complex affair with no simple answer. There are multiple reasons for that.

 

The Past

There was a time when families would play a pivotal and sometimes an authoritarian role in finding a match. The search would typically begin with the parents, who would discuss their insights with the other members of the family and elders in the community before going ahead with any matrimonial alliance. While considerations like education, family background, personal qualities and financial status would rule supreme, many families would not proceed with a marriage proposal until the horoscopes of the prospective brides and grooms show favourable indications. The elders in the family would allow for a courtship only after their consent.

The Present

Despite their affinity to the roots, the new-age Gujrati millennial tend to have a rebellious mind-set towards traditional matchmaking. They tend to be more autonomous and free-thinking over their choice of a partner. But even then, their families continue playing a significant role. The elders render their wholehearted support and advice to the next generation throughout the matchmaking procedure. And the families continue playing a significant role even after the wedding.

Matchmaking and the Modern Gujrati

The premier marriage bureaus for the Gujarati community point to certain factors for the changed mind-set towards match finding. They could be:

 

• More exposure to Western Learning: The media and modern education are making the youths more vocal about selecting their own spouses.
• Aspirations: Many of the Gujarati youths are pursuing lucrative careers, leaving aside conventional professions like family business. Consequently, they tend to look beyond standard, conventional qualities while selecting a partner.
• Compatibility cravings: Family-arranged marriages have their share of limitations. Not tending to the intended couples' individual interests, values, or aspirations is just one of them. And the new age brides and grooms lay emphasis on compatibility over anything.
• Flexibility: Online matchmakers and even references from colleagues and mutual friends keep the youths exposed to more potential matches than what a family would bring in.

Combining the Conventional with the Modern

Despite the drastic change in mind-set, a marriage bureau for Gujarati claims that the youths remain deeply rooted in their traditions. So, even those who rebel against conventional matchmaking would not go beyond a partner that the family approves of.

However, instead of their parents, the youths tend to be keener to start a search on their own. This is where the services of premium matchmaking services pitch in. The team working for the clients would offer all-around assistance for all aspects of matchmaking. And instead of confusing their clients with too many redundant suggestions, the team would work to make selective choices strictly on the basis of what their clients have asked for. Eventually, finding a match becomes less stressful and more of a happy experience.