Newborn infants/toddlers can’t meaningfully consent to marriange, which is about the time it’s usually arranged.
So in most cases, arranged marriage is non-consentual. Especially since children are groomed to accept the imposition, rather than taught to choose for themselves.
Do try to stay up…
I, um, guess it was nice of everyone to not actually say “eh, breeding stock is fungible”?
Sounds like she said “Yes” and “I do”
I think I read somewhere once, that the traditional function of the bridesmaid and best man (groomsman In the USA?) is to act as backup spouse in case the intended spouse doesn’t show up/ dies en route etc.
Given ‘arranged marriages’, I suppose it’s possible that Surabhi didn’t like the idea of getting married to the guy either.
Oh certainly.
But it isnt easy to convince a culture they are doing it wrong when this is their norm and they have lots of experience making it work.
Kind of reminds of a hijab. I feel like a person should never be required to wear a garment for those reasons, but I also have to be ok with that person choosing to do so (even if they could have been indoctrinated).
India is moving in the right direction IMO. And their younger population is getting a ton of exposure from viewpoints all over the world. I trust they will figure it out.
And I’m saying this like my PoS country has anything figured out??? Lol.
The best man is called the best man in the USA.
As Hamlet said “The funeral meats did coldly furnish forth the wedding feast.” And see how well that worked out for everyone.
After my great-grandfather’s first wife died in childbirth with her third child, he married her younger sister (my great-grandmother). But it didn’t go down on the same day. And I think (hope) that my great-grandmother could have exercised a veto if she’d wanted to.
yes, all the attendants to the groom are called groomsmen in the USA, but the head groomsman is called the best man.
This is India, where women who disobey their parents/husbands/owners tend to get buckets of flesh dissolving acid thrown in their faces, and women getting raped on the subway are arrested for immorality. Saying other than “Yes” and “I do” when told to is not really a viable option.
In my country women are afraid to say no too.
Of all the things in India that struck me as alien, seeing classified ads from parents seeking suitable husbands for their daughters was the strangest. It was pretty confronting to see how much skin hue played into the selection, and what careers were considered most desirable in potential husbands. “Seeking alliance with civil servant for wheatish girl” was typical.
Chances are the guy was none too thrilled about the whole thing either. There’s a good chance he may have never met either his original “fiance” or her sister before that day.
In other words, it may have started out as a sad story to begin with and only went further downhill from there.
She did poison her sister… 
That is definitely NOT what I call a happy ending.
so … who are these “certain parties” and what is it that they say that is wrong
There’s no guarantee that the other sister - Surabhi wanted this either. Or for that matter, the groom…
Well, yes and no… you have to describe how it’s similar and/or different for this to make sense. It may not mean that you conventionally fall in love with someone and have a long courtship/engagement, but the principle that these people are life partners is definitely the same, There is also a family angle - sometimes families with a long association see it as a good thing when their children are married. That sounds plausible in this case.
Yes.
Also yes.
That’s probably where it is.
But it’s a story worth reporting basically because of how shocking it is. The general convention is to wait at least a fortnight after any death - leave alone of the bride herself - before continuing the ceremony. This is in no way normal.
Not really - it still happens, but it’s become exceedingly rare. This was probably arranged less than a year ago,
