Some thoughts:
FAMILY: ( परिवार ): केवल भाई लोग ( बहने/लडकियाँ , नहीं)
, परिवार में आते है ! यह रिश्तेदार नहीं होते ! यह सम्बन्ध हमको,
हमारे प्रारभ्ध तथा हमारे पुरखों ने दिया
है ! हमने स्वम् नही बनाया है !
Only brothers ( kin) not the sisters come in the FAMILY; we do not
make relationship in the family. it is automatically formed at the time of our
birth ; this is natural relationship; This is given by our prarbhdh and
parents/ancestors ; it remains for ever
whether you accept it or not ; recognize/value or not. It is there. According
to our Vedic religion and our social structure based on it, WHOLE krm Chhetra ( क्र्म्छेत्र ) is created with duties and
responsibilities of all the
individuals and accordingly we perform
our actions to improve our DEEDS of this life . Hence, we have certain built-in
obligations for each other.
Children of kin form 2nd generation or next generation of
family and they are equally important as the family members. All others out of the family are relatives ( रिश्तेदार ) and friends with different values and
functions.! These
relationships are established by ourselves according to the standard social
norms. Sometimes, relationship with friends or specific individuals are even stronger than natural/family
relationships.
( though all relationships are important but in fact,
relationships with the (in-laws) members
or the relatives in the ex-family of
the girl are just very very formal; they
were not there before the marriage of the girl and never there after ; just
occasional meetings with them only with certain formalities; relations like
father-in-law, ससुर,
mother-in-law, सास, brother-in-law, साला co-brother , सादू, , समधी, etc. are just
irrelevant; विय्र्थ के सम्बन्ध हैं ); they are there because of their girl
is now as our family member..
( कन्यादान के पश्चात, लडकी पर माँ, बाप का कोई अधिकार नहीं रह जाता!
विवाह के पश्चात, लडकी, दुसरे परिवार की स्द्सिये हो जाती है , वो ही उसका
घर होता है , और वहीं से उसका कर्म, कर्त्व्ये , क्र्म्छेत्र प्रारम्भ होता है ;
जैसे नदी समुद्र में मिलकर अपना अस्तित्व खो देती है ;, नदी का समुद्र में मिलने
के पश्चात, ना उसका अपना कोई रंग होता है, ना स्वाद होता है, ना उसकी
अपनी कोई गति होती है ! उसी प्रकार, उसको अपने
नए परिवार में घुल मिल जाना चाहिए )
MARRIAGE is the most important socio-religious RITUAL in the
family which is self
obligatory/mandatory for all the family members
to participate ( not a formality
as in the case of marriages in the relatives and friends ); परिवार के अनिय संस्कारों में, विवाह
संस्कार सब से अधिक विशेष तथा महत्वपूर्ण है ! That provides us larger krm
chhetra especially
for the girls who do not have any social and religious
obligations in their parents' house ( no
duties/responsibilities except to grow
responsibly for their own development and future ); their krm chhtr starts only after the marriage by assimilating totally in the new
family ; their duties and
responsibilities start only after marriage as WIFE, as MOTHER and other associated relationships ( with mother-in-law .... etc.)
INVITATION for the marriage is necessary as socio-religious and legal
obligation ; given to relatives and friends and also to the members of the
community as per the local norms. The
first letter is normally given to Shri Ganesh jee and devtas after pooja , then
to others; it is a part of our culture
and needs to be extended with very
personal touch . It is the invitation to
the people for coming and attending the ritual/wedding ceremonies and blessings the couple for their successful
marriage with suitable gifts .
Well, with new socio-economic structure with the effect and influence of
globalization and hence changing situation, the concept of FAMILY ,
relationship and rest of it has taken a
different shape;
vales have changed, thinking
and functions have changed.
Society will soon adjust with new values , thoughts and functions etc.