KOZHIKODE: Tradition. Religion. Caste. Social Status. Money. Marriages have had many complex layers in Kerala. But the Next Gen Malayalis are on a drive to liberate themselves from the clutches of praxis. Secular and simple marriages are getting a fillip in the state with many entering the wedlock through Special Marriage Act, 1954.
As per the data made available from the State Registration Department, 13,198 weddings were registered under the Act in 2015-16 fiscal as against 2,136 in 2014-15. The swell has been a whopping 617 percent. The previous year the number of such marriages stood at 1,510. A considerable number of them were inter-caste and inter-religious weddings.
Though marriage registration under the Act is on the rise across the state, couples from North Kerala topped the chart. “In the recent past, there is a positive trend among youth as many of them preferred to get married under the Special Marriage Act. Majority of such marriages are inter-religious or inter-caste. But many couples from the same caste and religion are also choosing the Act, as it provides them an opportunity to marry in a simple manner,” said an official with the Registration Department.
“It’s heartening to see youngsters are opting for inexpensive, simple wedding ceremony. Getting married under Special Marriage Act is the perfect way for this,” he said. The expense for marriage registration is cheap compared to traditional wedding. Under the Act, couples can get married by paying `1,000 as registration fee. They need to give a 30-day notice to the Registrar of the district declaring their intent to get married. In the absence of objections, they get permission for marriage. “We opted for the Special Marriage Act, instead of worrying about the differences from relatives and other complications,” said a 27-year-old woman in Kochi, who went through inter-religious marriage. “The wedding costed us just `5000, including food and registration fee,” she said.