Divorce rate in India

The very country word for marriage is divorce. Divorce is the legal separation of two spouses by bringing an end to the vows that they took during the sacred ceremony of marriage. The divorce procedure differs from one governmental jurisdiction to another. In India divorce is still a major social taboo and divorce seekers have to undergo several ordeals in order to get separated from each other. Unlike western countries like USA and Sweden, the divorce rate is significantly low in India. In earlier days, in spite of existence of radical disparity between spouses, either of the two was expected to compromise with the other so that their marital bonding survives. In most cases women were forced to adjust with the unbearable post marital conditions for the welfare of the family, the children and even for herself as she was hardly open to any means of earning her own livelihood.

Acknowledging India’s respect for its culture and social ethics, one can guess that India enjoys a low divorce rate. But it is more surprising to know that the divorce rate in India ranks lowest among all the countries of the world. Statistics shows that only 1 out of 100 Indian marriages end up to a divorce which is quite low in comparison to America’s 50% of marriages turning into breakups. The rate of divorce in India was even low in the previous decade, where only 7.40 marriages out of 1,000 marriages were annulled. The divorce rate in Indian villages is even lower in caparison to urban India.

The following figures will help you to get an idea about the divorce rate in India with respect to global divorce rate.

Sweden – 54.9%
United States – 54.8%
Russia – 43.3%
United Kingdom – 42.6
Germany – 39.4%
Israel – 14.8%
Singapore – 17.2%
Japan – 1.9%
Srilanka – 1.5%
India – 1.1%
Even though India still boasts of that nearly hundred percent of the marriages are a success, rapid urbanization and awareness of various rights are now instigating the divorce rate to shoot up. Empowerment of women has initiated the dissolution of marriage in urban areas as financially educated women are now open to the option of ending the relationship rather than to bear life long abuses silently. The campaigns on gender equality are now giving rise to ego clashes between the husband and wife, especially if the wife too is the bread earner of the family.

A survey states that over the past four years the divorce rate in Delhi, the capital city of India has almost doubled and is projected to be 12000 by the year 2008. In 2006, Bangalore, the IT hub of India it was recorded that 1,246 cases of divorce were filed in the court that pertain to the IT sector exclusively. It has been estimated Mumbai has shot up to 4,138 in 2007 while cities that are acknowledged for their cultural richness and social values like Kolkata and Chennai, are no less behind. Agro based states like Punjab and Haryana are now seeing an increase of 150% of divorce rate since the last decade. Kerala, known to be the most literate state has experienced an increase of divorce rate by 350% in the last 10 years.

I read it somewhere and just felt like sharing it with you. This is truly disgusting. We are on the path of development. I totally agree but why cant we believe in our values and culture. why cant both the boys and girls adjust and lead the happy life. Why cant we understand the other and make the other to understand us. Where are our patience gone..!! Has it gone along with our values and culture..!! We tolerate many things but still we say our tolerance is low.. !! Wake up guys..!! Be Indian.. ! Respect our culture. Lets take only good things from others and develop ourselves and build nation...!