Recently I was watching a television biography of a famous female artiste who was bulimic. This made me think about arranged and love marriages from a women's perspective.

The usual opinion is that arranged marriages happen only in the east but this was not always so arranged marriages were happening even in Victorian Europe. With the industrial revolution and the end of the 2 world wars people's attitudes and perceptions started changing as women started to join the workforce and they started to demand for their rights. In England for example most of the kings and queens had arranged marriages up until King George V the present Queen Elizabeth's father broke tradition by marrying a commoner. Besides popular love lore like Soni Mahiwal, India always had a long tradition of arranged marriages. With the advent of the British, and the subsequent introduction of British education system more Indians got educated. These educated Indians in turn started to send their children to school and tried to educate their wives at home. The cause of women's education and rights were also very much espoused by our social reformers. In spite of this the institution of arranged marriage persisted. Education and exposure to the media, started to make people to think and realize they need not be bound by tradition and they can choose their own marital partners without having to rely on parents, matchmakers, relatives or having to consult astrologers. This gave rise to love marriages. Currently in our country we have arranged as well as love marriages taking place.

Before I launch further into this article, I want to briefly explain bulimia and anorexia nervosa two conditions which afflict mainly women in the west and which form the basis for this article.

Anorexia Nervosa
In this condition teenage girls go on a diet to attain a slim figure. They are inspired by fashion models and long to emulate them. They go to extreme lengths to achieve their ideal to the extent of starving themselves. Anorexics can't seem to get over the feeling that they are big, and eat less and less to achieve their goal. Some anorexics need to be hospitalized and administered intravenous fluids. This is a mental illness, which needs to be treated at both the mental and physical level.

Bulimia
Bulimia is more common among older women. Women suffering from this type of condition have been known to eat and stuff themselves till they get sick and then throw all of that up. This way they feel psychologically satisfied that they have not only satisfied their food cravings but have also avoided putting on unnecessary weight. Bulimics have been known to consume as much as 3 bowls of cereal, 4 bars of chocolate, 3 packs of cookies, 1 steak, 2 bowls of fruit, 3 bars of ice-cream half a gallon of milk in one sitting. One famous example of a bulimic person is the late Princess Diana. This is a more serious condition from anorexia since it involves binge eating and throwing up which is unhealthy.