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The evolution of relationships and the concept of love marriage has led to people fearing arranged marriages. Arranged marriages have now turned into an outdated concept and an un-cool thing. But is it really that frightening?

The concept of falling in love and relationships is not alien to our society. Relationships are quite common and college students are well aware of it. It is great that people are quite open to the concept of falling in love and this has pretty much led to the notion where individuals have started to think that love marriages are the only way one is supposed to get married. But are arrange marriages really that frightening?

India is a country where more than 85% of the marriages are arranged. A report published by Maps of India in 2013 states that the divorce rates in India are as low as 1.2%, in contrary to 53% in the United States of America. This data is also the result of many differences between the two countries and the way marriages are seen, but the difference reflects that there is mutual consent between two people to continue as a married couple.

It is no less than an achievement to see people having love marriages and it is great that people are becoming more receptive towards this concept. But as budding individuals, it is not right on our part to develop a mentality where we start opposing arranged marriages as a possibility. There are some legitimate lines on which arranged marriages are questioned. When asked about an opinion on arranged marriages, Shreya Singhal, a student of the University of Delhi said “I feel that arranged marriages are ridiculous. How can we expect two random individuals to live together for the rest of their lives?”

The concept of arranged marriages has been working since a long time, and to question it is to refute the many success stories of the prevailing generation of parents whose marriages were arranged when they were young. Something must be going right to make these marriages work. We are at an interesting phase where we can witness both kinds of marriages. We as burgeoning individuals should learn how these differing kinds of marriages work and figure out what’s best for us.

The other “problem” with arranged marriages is that it is seen as an outdated notion and people associate the preference of an arranged marriage with being conventional. In a report published by Medium in 2016, 75.4% women prefer having arranged marriages. The number is lower than the previous statistics but it still signifies that a large chunk of women are still affirmative towards the concept.

The idea of the piece and all the statistics is to not be conclusive about what is happening with both kinds of marriages. We are in a transitional phase where love marriages are becoming more and more socially acceptable which is a great sign of progress in the mentality of the society. But at the same time, opposing arranged marriages and being judgmental about it is not the way to go.

 

Feature Image Credits: Identity Magazine

Karan Singhania

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Dear Amma,

My boyfriend frequently asked me if he could taste me down there. I was apprehensive at first, but few days back things got heated up and I let him. His reaction was horrible and he said it was too soon. I was torn to bits; I feel horrible about what he said. I have a lot of health problems and he knows about all of them and I feel he should have been a little sensitive towards the situation. Should I stop blaming myself? Please help.

My troubled macchi, yes you should STOP blaming yourself.

For any person to open up to another in an intimate situation and to expose themselves for the first time is a sensitive moment. To reveal you inhibition to someone else is a brave task and should be treated with respect and understanding. Amma can empathize with your feeling of being torn after not getting the right response from your partner.

However macchi, Amma has had many encounters with people who do not know the intricacies of dosa making, and she can say from experience that often the “nice guys” can disrespect you in the most unlikely of moments. They are not aware of the fact that they are being insensitive to our feelings and say things out of impulse. Amma can understand that an attempt towards a conversation revolving around the issue at hand can lead to many embarrassing outcomes; but little idli, like Amma takes risks with spices in her chutneys, you need to take a risk here too. You need to communicate with him and soon! Since this matter is troubling your heart greatly and soon will start to affect your relationship, it is imperative that you talk to him and clearly express that you think he is being insensitive.

Dear macchi, if you care about him enough to make this work, then you need to be completely honest with him. Also if, at any time, you feel that it is not worth the effort and you are not getting the respect you deserve, then Amma suggests you walk away before the batter turns bitter. Communication is the key, but it is not worth the effort if you and your partner are not on the same page as each other.

 

To send in your queries to Sex Amma email us at [email protected]. We respect your confidentiality as much as you do.

Dear Sex Amma!

I met my best friend’s boyfriend at a party and we seemed to hit it off. One thing led to another and we did it that night. It was amazing and both of us agreed that it was the best we ever had. We have this incredible chemistry in bed, what do I do?

Ohh my sweet machhi! Your question has truly upset Amma. The only two things Amma always advises against are breaking someone’s heart and letting go of a dosa that fully satiates your idli.

It is great for you to meet someone you really connect and have a blazing chemistry with. But you have to realise that what you have done is essentially wrong on your part for your best friend. Cheating is one ingredient that turns the whole mixture bad. This also means that the boyfriend has wronged your friend, proving his infidelity. Macchi, always remember, good friends are scarce in life and a ruined friendship is always almost irredeemable. This is why Amma advises you to come clean to your friend and tell her the truth, even if it breaks her heart.

It’s okay to get involved and have fun with someone, but it’s wrong when that someone is already with another person. Please tell your friend the truth and talk to her boyfriend as well. Decide what both of you want, whether it was just a fun night or you both want to continue seeing each other. It will get awkward, but it’s a necessary task to clean up the mess that has been created.

Finally little machhi, it’s a valuable lesson learnt. Don’t ever push away your friends or ruin friendships over boys, because lovers might be fleeting but friends are for life!

Gone are the days when common friends, weddings, family functions and college fests were the only places to find a ‘banda’ or ‘bandi’. With everything going digital these days, ‘Boy Browsing’ and girls willing to be wooed are vouching for the desi ‘match-making apps’.

While parents might be scrounging and ransacking matrimonial sites, young Indians are liking the idea of dating apps, very cunningly worded as ‘modern-match making apps’ in some cases. Homegrown free apps such as Thrill, Woo, DesiCrush, Truly Madly, Singles Around Me, Aisle and more are available on both Android and iOS.

Most of these apps take cue from the mother of all dating apps- ‘Tinder’, which enjoys an explosive popularity in the US. However, much like our food, we Indians like more choices when it comes finding a suitable date, which sadly Tinder fails to fulfil. Recognising the issues with Tinder, Indian developers have created apps that go beyond just profile pictures and casual dating. Efforts have been increasingly put in order to weed out fake profiles and address the skewed gender ratio.

While Tinder is a location-based social discovery application where the user uses a swiping motion to choose between the photos of other users, shudh desi apps like Woo and Thrill are the more date oriented platforms.

Truly Madly, with its catchy advertisement running all over TV and social media off late, follows the motto- ‘Epic love stories need epic beginnings. Not random introductions.’ We asked a few university students about these apps and whether they would mind getting ‘unsingle’ by the online cupid, which gave us some interesting responses.

 

“Indian dating apps as a concept sounds good to have fun and time pass, but I think it may not be that safe a move. It might have proven to be good for some, but one needs to be cautious while taking decisions regarding their life on the basis of such apps even if it is something as common as dating.” – Aakriti Sharma, Kamala Nehru College

 

A student of  Jesus and Mary College shares her experience, ” I was apprehensive at first as many people use Tinder as a means for casual sex. I met my current boyfriend through Tinder and to my surprise, I found some like-minded individuals on the app who approached relationships and sex in very similar ways and if not, respected my decision. With regard to competition with Indian apps, I think the masses are finally ready to accept what was already being done in hushed tones. ‘Boy Browsing’ seems like a much less daunting prospect than casual sex, so perhaps people will gravitate towards that.”

 

Riya Chhibber

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Q. My boyfriend loves to watch porn and every time we get intimate he tells me to watch it too and learn new things. He remains very unsatisfied with our time, but I dislike porn. I just can’t stand watching it. How can I make him see the other way?

A. Ayyioo!

My naughty idlis caught in a mix of curries!

First things first, it’s completely okay to have different views from your partner on this one. The adult industry is made for entertainment and you have the right to not like it, so it’s perfectly alright to not watch it. Porn films, like any other media these days, are all about putting up a show, so don’t expect the things you see online to happen in a real situation. They are educational for some or can be just entertainment, but unrealistic expectations from porn should not be borne into real life situations.

Real life intimate situations can take on many shapes, believe Amma! Whatever your recipe is for dosa making, the end product should always be a feeling of mutual respect and fun. This can only be the case if you both are comfortable with each other. Your partner’s dissatisfaction can be helped if you both talk about each other’s likes and dislikes and reach a common ground. Do get to know more about each other’s preferences and do not give in to the digital image of sex.

As Amma always says, communication is the key, my idli! Feel comfortable and get naughty; introducing new spices into your dosa batter is never a bad idea. So try what you can and remember to always be safe.

Dear Amma, I’m a college student and I live with my parents. It’s very difficult for me and my girlfriend (who also lives with her folks) to find places to get it going. Please suggest some places where we can go to make out or take it a bit further, if you know what I mean.

Uff my desperate little machhi! If you lived in the greenery of my sweet Kerala, you would have no worries for you could go boating in the backwaters! And my naive idli, I always know what you mean!

But, talking about Delhi, Amma has stolen kisses in the stairs of abandoned buildings. The third floor of Rugby Sevens in the North Campus is a great place, if ever you get a chance to go in. It’s normally deserted, but you might find a dog or occasional person there, so you might have to make a run for it, but it’s mostly safe. If your parents have endowed you with a car, make use of it, or just borrow a friend’s car. Got some friends living in PGs? Ask them for a favour. Make use of the terrace at your place, or hers. Elevators are a world-renowned making-out spot. Then there’s always that deserted movie hall you could go to! Go have fun, you little honey-buns!

 

sex-amma1

Is it okay for a 27-year-old and a 14-year-old to be together?

*jaw drops*. And NO! Aiyo rama rama, STOP THIS RELATIONSHIP. Does the 27year old even remember what it was like when he/she was 14! It’s the second concrete year in your “teenage” life and the mind is still developing. A 14 year old is a child and must be treated like one. Plus this could very well be against the law. Are you listening? It could be a potential crime; statutory rape if you have sex. Forget the legal aspect all together;I don’t even see how it is mutually possible for the two of you to actually be in this relationship. I’m sorry I’m being so blunt but this is the blatant truth. The relationship is nothing but harmful. I have to go meditate now to bring myself back to normality. And you two, whoever you are, stop scandalizing me!

Dear Ma’am

How to talk to a girl for students especially like me who are very low on confidence and what will be the girl’s reaction when i do approach her?

Basically I always think that today I will talk to a girl but my confidence does not build up, I think I do not have the guts to speak to a girl . Please I request you to give me some good suggestions regarding this as soon as possible I NEED IT.

Okay boy! Now even though all senders are kept anonymous, I cant help but mention, rather remind you that you are from SRCC. And ahem, every tom, dick or harry does not get to be a part of the most sought after college in Dehlhi Univerzity. The point here is that this simple fact should work wonders for your confidence. I mean if I were in your college, I would totally flaunt it in even the most random conversation with a boy. But that’s beside the point. What you need to be reminded of is that women are not beasts. They’re delicate harmless gifts of god and are your partners in the chain of being. So talking to them shouldn’t be a big deal at all. And you always have to remember that there are different categories of people around the university and no single category is in minority. In other words, you’ll find your kinds, in college, around college, on the metro station, in kamla nagar or even on the rick. Your kind could very well be one of those hep girls in D School too. Just talk to women (or people in general) and think that you’re no less than them. Force yourself into self-efficacy. Results are guaranteed and provide extraordinary satisfaction. *Wink wink*. Now your next mail should be details of your first date. Good luck boy! * Talking to herself* And what’s that cool sign? *now, getting back to you* Ya, \m/. Amma likes cool!!