UPDATED
United
Sikh Mission funds mass marriages in Punjab
NRI, Rashpal Singh, Fontana, California
sponsor 3 girl's marriage ceremony
Pind Bias Pind, Jalandhar
Dec. 29, 2007
NRI, Rashpal Singh, Fontana, California, resident had a dream
to help poor parents who had a difficulty to marry their daughters
in rural area. He decided to start from his own village with his
own money.
On Nov. 04, 2007, three girl's marriage ceremony, solemnised
in a traditional way, was held in Pind Bias Pind, Jalandhar, Punjab.
Rashpal's family paid for all the wedding arrangements and marriage
gifts like untencils, beddings, furniture, jewellery, clothes,
and other household goods. The newly wed couples were blessed
by the NRI couple and local village people
Along with curious vicissitudes of a modernizing India, the growing
middle class with its opportunities for upward mobility also propagated
inevitable inflationary monetary expectations to an already existing
union of marriage and money. This comradeship between money and
marriage may be considered as one of the most promiscuous and
prevalent linkages pertaining to the past and present of many
cultures. The exchange and amount of "money" for a dowry
depended on the relative status of being a rich or poor woman
The steady rise of the gruesome scenario of dowry deaths in India
brought with it a sense of hopelessness in light of the lack of
legal provisions and avenues made available to families who lost
their daughters in the expansive and intricate dowry wedding web.
More importantly there needs to be a cultural rethinking on the
status of women which can occur only through education. The problem
is compounded by the fact that 63 percent of the female population
in India is illiterate. It is basically the old school of thought:
"that a girl is to be married and studying is a waste of
money and resources, and there is no need for girls to study beyond
a certain level."
For Rashpal, it is time to help for village poor parents who
cannot sleep at night when their young daughters at home and ready
for marriage.
To extend financial assistance to solemnise mass marriages of
girls from poor families in villages, Rashpal is approaching to
friends, relatives and other NRIs to come forward for this project.
He estimate that $1000 will be enough money for one girl to sponsor
under solemnise mass marriages ceremony.
