Re: Running away is seen as such a bad thing in desi culture…
Hmmmm – the jigsaw puzzle of numerology studded with figures as blatant as they are and compared with elopement of two beings probably in love – it is indeed heartless if not heart-wrenching. If the comparison of running away without paying your due governmental levied taxes is measured against getting married in a court of law without paying the earnest money or without greasing the palm of a maulvi, would amount to thieving and embezzlement for legitimizing the bilateral love, it may even be worse.
No matter how you may like to evolve your percentages of the poverty of love to the taxes levied thereafter, in our society of payers and non-payers of taxation, eloping with a lover would end up in a wide variety of story telling. From Hir Ranjha to Sassi Pannu to Romeo Juliet to Anarkali disco chali with or without a partner, running away from home without telling your parents would almost in all cases result in an uncalled for and taxing adventure.
And an adventure without paying the taxes due either to your parents or to the government, would in all probability be remuneratively quite taxing as well. Avoidance is suggestive or you are advised to watch some old Indian movies to learn more or visit the taxpayer’s web sites and learn to pay your taxes. 