Bride Shortage In Community Forces 40,000 Tamil Brahmin Bachelors To Look Towards Uttar Pradesh & Bihar

Around 40,000 men from the brahmin community in Tamil Nadu are not able find brides for marriage, thus one of the Brahmin community associations will be looking for brides in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

Wedding. (Representative image)

Chennai: With more than 40,000 Brahmin men in the age group of 30-40 are finding it difficulty to get brides in Tamil Nadu, the Tamizhnadu Brahmin Association (TBA) has launched a drive to look for brides for the bachelors in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This situation has been in the making for the last 10 years, said a senior member in the TBA in their monthly magazine.

In an open letter published in the monthly magazine, TBA President N Narayanan said that over 40,000 bachelors in the age between 30 and 40 years have been finding it difficult to get the brides as there is a huge shortage of girls in the community.

Quoting rough estimates, the community president said, "Approximately, if the are 10 boys in the community in the marriagiable age group, only six girls are available."   

"We have started a special movement on behalf of our association," wrote Narayanan in a letter in their association's monthly magazine

Narayanan further said in his letter that coordinators would be appointed in Delhi, Lucknow and Patna regarding the project. "I have started to work on this," he said, according to ABP Nadu.

Although the project has been welcomed by many people in the community, the project also faces opposition from within the community. M Parameswaran, an educator, said, "Even though the Tamil Brahmin women are not available in the marriageable age, this is not the only reason why women are not available for marriage."

He attributed the problem to the groom's parents expecting a lavish wedding. He further said that the reason for this state of affairs in the Brahmin community was the imposition of the marriage expenses wholly on the bride's family. "Luxurious weddings have become a symbol of status. This community needs to think progressively and abandon such reactionaries," he said.

"Tamil Brahmin weddings last for 2 to 3 days momentarily. This includes all the expenses like jewellery, wedding hall rental, food, refreshments, etc. including reception, pre-wedding and post-wedding ceremonies during this period,” he added.