It is in the absence of any better arrangement, that our forefathers perchance invented the institution of marriage. Millions of us have taken it for granted, that we have had little time to mull over its origin or over the possibility of a better alternate. The world over it has become a symbol of human civilization - the one of the few that differentiates us from our ancestral species.

When someone said marriages are made in heaven he or she must have been in the know of things. Yes... no terrestrial marriage could be either perfect or heavenly.



Under the sun it is perhaps the day to day squabbles and quarrels that make it a perfect down-to-earth marriage. But that does not mean that those wedded should follow the example of Mr.N.Kannan, a nonagenarian and Mrs.K.Rajalakshmi, an octogenarian. They were living together happily for over 50 years. However, their sons allegedly instigated Mrs. Rajalakshmi to initiate proceedings against her 93-year-old husband. The Family Court awarded maintenance in her favour and the two of them stay in the same building but on different floors. Yes - in two houses and not in one sweet home!

Now Mrs. Rajalakshmi wanted a separate power connection to the floor she occupies, allegedly because her husband, living downstairs had cut the power connection and de-lighted her.

The Madras High Court, which came to her rescue, opined that "It is an unfortunate case" in which the couple were fighting for an electricity connection instead of leading a happy life that would serve as a role model for others.

We Indians believe then when a bride arrives, she brings in light. Here, the court's intervention was required to bring light to her home! Let us only hope that the couple would be enlightened enough, soon to lead a long happy married life.