Changing Culture

Note: The note below is not intended to offend anyone. Its just thoughts which I have scribbled.
Today I had to attend an Marriage engagement. It is not a normal one. What's different? Girl is a Keralite, Boy is a Kannadiga. The normal one for us would be couple's who are part of the same community. Before I go ahead, let me tell you the formality followed in the marriage ceremony
For Engagement
Keralite: No Girl or Boy present during the 'discussion', only relatives (only men) and neighbourhood members..
Kannadiga : Both are present, could be told that its like a mini marriage. Garland is exchanged, only the knot tieing does not happen
For Marriage:
Keralite: Its a maximum 10 min task. All done, have lunch and boy takes the girl to his house. Its his complete responsibility to look after her.
Kannandiga : It's a 3 day trail..Situation from epic's dram's are considered and the men are supposed to enact them. Gifts are supposed to be displayed in front of the purohit and that's how the girl's financial capability are measured. The boy is showered with all the gifts from A-Z from the girls side so that he should be able to take care of the girl. ( Good for him:)). Demands are made ( but its not named as dowry). After the last lunch on the 3rd day, girl is supposed to take the boy to her house, stay for 2 days and then the boy takes her to his home.

Got to know that, in this occasion both the girl's and the boy's house members are not very keen in getting them married. But, what to do? It's the generation NEXT, its their world and they have option to change the routine practice and bring change in the deep rooted culture which was practiced from ages. May be its time for change. We in the intermediate generation need to decide on which to opt. Be a part of the new generation or the old. What happens if we are part of the old ? We will be left behind for sure. What happens if we are part of the new, we will loose the strong culture that we grew up with. I am in a dilemma.
To conclude, let me tell you what happened on this occasion. The boys system of engagement was followed, the girls parents were forced to do the rituals which they had never practiced in their life. The girl had changed her caste to be part of the boys community. That's a great sacrifice. As we say 'Marriage is a compromise", but here the girl before getting married had to low down to the boy's demands, and she has to give up her self esteem ( which is acceptable to her). At least everyone pretended to be happy, and all the other (except the bride and groom to be) wondering how will the marriage happen. I could see the happiest people in that occasion was the Girl and the Boy who in spite of all odds had managed to get the engagement done.