Life of an Indian Boy

Lourdes and I spent a few hours talking with Tej last night about his culture.

He is on the hotseat right now as his parents are wanting him to get married.

Tej is 30.

He explained how he lives at home with his parents, grandmother, brother and his wife. Indian boys and their families live with the boys parents.

Once his parents decide that Tej is to marry, they go and consult a xxxxx who does his horoscope to see if this is what it tells him.

If it does, the next step would be for the mother to put the word out with some of the aunts. From there a match is made and the process continues with plans to marry. A dowry would be paid from the girls parents to the boys....with the boys parents deciding how much and what they would like. The boy that is getting married has no say in anything. He actually would not even see or meet the bride until the day of the wedding.

This is the very traditional way of a Northern Indian family.

After marriage, the new couple would live with the boys parents. The bride would not work....just tend to the house....cooking and sewing. Babies are expected soon.

Tej is not ready right now...but he says he will do what his parents expect of him.

Wow is all I could say.

Where am I? is what I was thinking.