Marriage in India is considered as a bond of holy matrimony, which is supposed to last for not one but 7 lives. The institution of marriage had always been regarded as a sacred bond and any deviations from this path were looked down upon. But this scared institution has also been one of the most tormenting bonds for Indian women. In the ancient times the concept of arranged marriage had existed, and it still dominates a large chunk of the population. There is no other tradition that involves a family than a wedding. There is dramatic evoking of emotions, kinship bond, traditional value and social obligations. Different communities have different traditions and systems of marriage. Patriarchal system of marriage is common though some minor communities also have the matriarchal system.

The general process includes a rich panoply of wedding rituals begins with the bride's family being the hosts for most of the ceremonies. They usually pay for all the arrangements including the numbers of guest accommodations, feasting, decorations, and gifts for the groom's party. The entire process is elaborate and is intended to enhance the status of the bride's family. The groom's side hires a band and fine gifts are bought for the bride like jewelry and clothing.
 
After the rituals are over the new bride may be carried away to her in-laws' home. The bride is bid farewell to her new house in tears and sadness with folklore, literature, song, and drama, which is common in most religions and cultures in the country.
 
But the concept of marriage started to take an evil turn with child marriage, restrictions on widow remarriage and 'Sati', where a woman was burnt alive on the pyre of her husband in the name of holy matrimony. These practices gradually became a torture for Indian women and though Sati is no longer practiced, widow remarriage and child marriage continue to be a major problem for the Indian society.
Dowry is one eminent problem that still reins this institution in an ugly fashion. In spite of various kinds of Anti-dowry laws, a bride's treatment in her marital home is often affected by the value of her dowry. There have been instances of the bride committing suicide or being killed for dowry. Many families continue to make excessive demands on the bride's family even after marriage. Due to these fears many impoverished parents and brides have committed suicide.