In India, a growing number of women are choosing to leave their marriages, challenging traditional norms and seeking a life of peace and self-respect.
For generations, marriage has been held as the bedrock of society, valued for being sacred and stabilizing. Yet in India, rising numbers of women are questioning this institution and opting to leave their marriages. Their decision is not out of rebellion against family values, but rather a pursuit of clarity and a refusal to equate survival with peace.
Inside many marriages, some women endure a loneliness that contradicts outward appearances. A marriage that seems content, with family photos on the walls and shared family vacations, can mask a sense of solitude. The reality for some is that proximity does not equate to being genuinely seen or respected, and the act of staying married does not guarantee love.
The decision to leave is rarely impulsive. It is often a culmination of moments where a woman’s voice has been ignored, her aspirations overshadowed, and her individuality slowly diminished.
Children are frequently cited as the reason to remain in unfulfilling marriages, yet this justification often overlooks what children observe. They witness their mothers being disregarded, overruled, and marginalized. Despite efforts to maintain a happy facade, children recognize the strain their mother endures. In witnessing this, children may inadvertently learn that love necessitates endurance and that a woman’s suffering should remain unspoken. Rather, displaying self-respect by choosing to leave might teach children a more valuable lesson about healthy relationships.
Notably, the absence of physical abuse does not imply the absence of harm. Emotional scars, often dismissed as minor, can be equally damaging. Emotional manipulation, mocking of feelings, and placing undue blame inflict wounds that are invisible but profound. Such “quiet cruelties” can erode a woman’s sense of self over time.
One of the most insidious relationships is the “almost good” marriage—one where there is emotional distance rather than explicit insult. Society often reinforces the desirability of such arrangements, espousing that a largely peaceful home life with no overt chaos is sufficient. Yet, women are now increasingly rejecting marriages that are “not bad enough to leave” but “never good enough to stay.” The call is not to abandon marriage but to cease romanticizing it at the cost of women’s emotional well-being.
For marriage to be preserved as a meaningful union, it must be redefined as a partnership where both individuals grow, have voices, and maintain their identities. A union should consist of two whole individuals, not where one sacrifices so the other can thrive.
Ultimately, what is dying in India isn’t the concept of love or family. It’s the illusion that women should endure unfulfilling marriages for the sake of tradition. Women choosing to leave these marriages are not failures; they signal an end to silent acceptance as a survival strategy. As marriage evolves, it ushers in an era where women prioritize peace over pretenses and truth over tradition, choosing self-worth over any expectation to disappear.