Re: i hate this ******* process
cos i don't think somebody else can pick a mate for you, even if it is your parents, and cos you can't pick a mate based on an awkward-half hour of chai, samosas and small talk. marriage is a big deal and to be happy in a marriage should be a personal right, as much as the right to eat when you're hungry and sleep when you're tired, not a privilege or a stroke of luck. i think that at least in a "love" marriage, you go with your eyes open into this major commitment and life change and know what you're agreeing to- it doesn't mean the marriage will always succeed, but it does mean you're responsible for your own choices. generally speaking, i don't see that in arranged marriages where theres often a lot of pressure to please parents and families, and less focus on whether couple is actually compatible and like each other.
obviously i feel strongly about this :p