10 "Modern" Wedding Vows for Women
By Sushmita Sen (7th February 2002)

Have you ever noticed how strange Hindu Wedding vows seem? Take for example "I shall beautify and adorn myself for you" or "I shall guard your family and home, speaking sweetly to you."* Of course I take these to be a literal translation of the mantras - the thinking behind the original text focuses on aspects of food, health, wealth, joy, progeny and harmony.....all good stuff. Until the divorce that is! Perhaps, it is time for a few "modern" wedding vows for women? Here are my suggestions.

I take thee to be my husband, to have and to hold:

1. For richer and richer
2. To live together as man & wife and extended family forever and ever.
3. To gain a mother-in-law whose mission in life is to make me miserable.
4. To hear the words "we don't do it like that in our family" for the next half century.
5. To hold down a full-time job, cook, clean and raise 2.4 children single-handedly.
6. To be a "cricket widow" between May & September each year.
7. To play my part in making you bald, overweight and a bad health risk within 10 years.
8. To be chastised for failing to immediately recognise the voice of your third-cousin-twice-removed during his annual phone call.
9. To re-arrange your wardrobe, throw out all your decent clothes and buy you garish ties as presents.
10. To accept that the entire cricket team is coming around to share our evening meal.

Click here to read 10 "Modern" Wedding Vows for Men.

Agree or Disagree with these suggestions? Why not share your viewpoint with others, click here.

* Quotes from JeevanSathi the Indian Matrimonial Portal.