They are single and very happy. Enjoying their ‘singlehood’ to the hilt, these 20 somethings know they haven’t yet met their knight in shining armour, but it’s not making them worried or settle for anything less than perfect. Marriage is not a compulsion for today’s women, moving up the professional ladder, they are giving importance to their own needs first. The need to pamper the self has gained prominence, marriage can wait, it is not about the urgency to find someone and plan a family because of their age. It’s about finding the self and fulfilling one’s aspirations and not bowing to societal norms.
Shares Ankita Kanojia, 29, who works with a private airline, “Parental pressure does get to me at times and I think let’s just get over with this. But even though I am all for an arranged marriage, it freaks me out when I see a stranger sitting in front of me, I want to know my partner before saying I do.”
Dr Rachna K. Singh, a lifestyle management expert and psychologist at Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon explains, “Modern working class women are secure and more conscious of their desires. Marriage is secondary, their prime focus is to fulfil their own needs, they don’t mind age slipping by, and it is not an obstacle for them. Their personal, professional and emotional growth is important. They are turning older and wiser, so the concept of marriage has changed.”
The daughters may have it easy, but not their parents, who are pushed by incessant relatives to look for a suitable match for their darlings.
Avers media professional Sakshi Arora, 27, who says that though her parents have been supportive of her decision sometimes, societal pressure gets to them too. “My parents have been very supportive of everything I do. Every day ends with at least a hint somehow that now it’s time to get married. Though I know they will never force me into it,” she says.
Interestingly, emotional stability is being given much more importance than financial, though the latter remains important. Adds Sakshi, “For me, emotional stability is much more important. A man should be so sure of himself, that he’s able to give a positive direction to the relationship.”
For Vibha Kundra, 28, both economic and emotional stability matter in a life partner.
“Can’t do without either,” she stresses. Today, it is not about a girl willing to compromise alone. It calls for equal adjustment. Says Upasna Lall, 29, a marketing executive, “I’m looking for a ‘suitable’ partner, if marriage happens, it’s is good. But it’s not necessary to be married. Compatibility and understanding are important ingredients for a marriage to work. At my age, my ideas are set. The person who I get married to must be in sync with me. This is the only way we can make it work.”