This and That...

Not in the best of my moods now. USCIS is playing football with my vacation plans, I am FED UP of following up and trying to expedite my Advance parole. Am completely pissed off (I do not write these kind of words unless my spirits are at their nadir). I do not want to get started on this. Just poured my heart out in the immigration forums.


Was watching a talk show on Vijay TV (Neeya? Naana?) where the host picks a debatable topic and moderates the arguments between the 2 sides. Yesterday, the topic was marriage and the relevance of the customs(thaali, kanchivaram pattu, caste etc.) to the younger and elder generations. I do not want to go into details.

Good:
When the host posed a question to the elder generation about the relevance of caste in marriages, most of them said they would accept if their son/daughter chose someone from a different caste if they think the choice is good.


Bad:
There was a young woman who said she does not believe in Thaali(mangal sutra), she sees it as a metal, but she would wear it if her in-laws insisted on she wearing it. When the host asked the elders on the show if any of them would consider this girl as their daughter-in-law, NO ONE, not even one RAISED THEIR HANDS. I was flabbergasted. I thought the staunch belief in Thaali was gone with my generation. I wear it only when I feel like it, no strict rules. I see many of my friends who wear it only during festivals or when their in-laws visit them. The girl who spoke out against it is still in college.

WORRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTT:
When the relevance of caste in marriage was posed to the younger generation, all but 2 said they will not choose a partner from different caste. The reason one girl told was "she wants to be accepted by her parents and all her relatives and do not want to hurt them" - fair enough. The reason the 2nd girl told was unbelieavable. I mean outright disgusting. Here is what she said : " I feel proud and superior of the caste that I am born into. I am a brahmin and an Iyengar at that. I feel I have done lot of punniyam(good deeds & hence good karma) in my past life, that is why I am blessed to be born as an Iyengar in this life. I will choose only an Iyengar groom." I cannot believe this.