While there are many great things about cultural practices in the subcontinent, there’s a few I think our generation needs to change. These are observations and experiences and please feel free to add your thoughts:
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I think that many (not all) families still make their sons feel guilty for wanting to move out into a new place (even if it isn’t for marriage). The concept of “personal space” isn’t understood or welcomed. One could be living in an ancestral home with tons of folks, adults sharing rooms etc., one son decides to rent an apartment because he needs some privacy and all hell breaks loose. Why so?
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When married women living abroad travel to their hometowns for vacation, they are expected to spend more time at their in-laws than at their parent’s home. In fact, if both families show up at the airport, she is expected to go home with her in-laws. I know 2 friends who just went through that hence my confidence in this point. And they are both from “educated” families in Karachi. We’re not talking rural Pakistan/india here.
There’s more of course to be added later. 
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
Has this 'doli main beth ke ja rahi ho, arthi pe nikalna' thing done away with?
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
The worst of two is the first one, Indians simply do not know meaning of privacy, and how sense of privacy develops full fledged individual.
Second one is managable and every bahu knows how to manage it, if not, then they will learn eventually :)
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
^^ It's not about the bahus managing it but us as parents and future in-laws being sensible and mature in our expectations.
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
Has this 'doli main beth ke ja rahi ho, arthi pe nikalna' thing done away with?
It's gotten better. But again, there's a lot of fear.
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
^^ It's not about the bahus managing it but us as parents and future in-laws being sensible and mature in our expectations.
But we cannot control their sensibility and maturity, what we can control is our response and effective solutions to regular problem, in a month, we generally get to know each member of family so it is easy to outsmart them :)
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
Yes, true for us. Some of us don't have those kind of issues and some have figured things out. In some cases, it's just pretty bad regardless of how hard one tries. We just need to change things so we can break some trends.
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
But we cannot control their sensibility and maturity, what we can control is our response and effective solutions to regular problem, in a month, we generally get to know each member of family so it is easy to outsmart them :)
just a query. As there have been books like 'Arth shastra' and 'Neeti shastra', are there any books about how to survive in sasural safely?
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
just a query. As there have been books like 'Arth shastra' and 'Neeti shastra', are there any books about how to survive in sasural safely?
not one that I know of, secondly I don't find it tough, or may be I am the luckier one, but it is different agreed, but justl like them we have to make adjustment as well. If hubby is different from brother, so is his mother different from one's own mother.
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
What about 'hum beti / behn ke ghar ka dana pani nahin lete'. Does that need a change?
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
dowry culture....
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
I would say barat ka khana from bride's side should not be there. Walima by groom is enough.
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
Pehnaonian bhi ban hojani chahiye...
Re: Some cultural practices that could require an upgrade
Excellent thoughts!