Unmarried youth and disturbing customs

The survey that figured Jammu and Kashmir at number one in terms of the highest proportion of unmarried persons within the age bracket of 15 to 29 years, among all states and union territories, is not only disturbing but also pointing fingers towards the customs, rituals and the fatty weddings that has turned out to be one of the main reasons for late marriages, especially in Kashmir. It is unfortunate that the rituals and customs are being promoted in every aspect when it comes to the marriages in Kashmir. The surveys done so far have mentioned that the delayed marriages are the outcome of the dowry system, fatty weddings, customs and other rituals. The people belonging to the downtrodden section of the society are not able to get their sons and daughters married due to the dowry system and other customs and rituals. It needs to be understood that the fatty marriages would only increase the number of unmarried youth and wouldn’t serve any cause on the ground. The youth, at this juncture, have a pivotal role to play, as it should keep the fatty marriages at bay and prefer the simple weddings to put an end to the rituals and customs that has increased the rate of unmarried youth in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, the government should also come up with some schemes to help youth in getting married and ensure that the graph of unmarried people declines. The delay in marriage is not only affecting the society, but also impacts the fertility rate as well. It is time to consider the issue thoroughly.