The increasing number of people choosing to remain Single (Singletons) is a global phenomena and not restricted to few countries, however, the trend is apparently more profound in USA, China, Brazil and India, in recent years.
Availability of Paying Guest accommodation easily, availability of hostels for working Singletons, people sharing flats with like-minded friends especially in Metro Cities like Mumbai provides the Singletons an alternate way of living in their twenties and thirties and that is where they find themselves quite comfortable and decide to carry on .
There used to be a popular saying “Sabse bada Rog, Kya Kahenge Log” (what will people say is the biggest disease). This saying has been rendered meaningless as people especially in metros just don’t care about how the next door person is leading his or her life and there is generally very little interference in one’s personal life.
It is a bit difficult to get a flat on rent for a Singleton as the Flat owners hesitate to rent out their flat to a bachelor (either gender) but feel comfortable if they are in a group of 2-3 working persons irrespective of the gender. It suits Singletons financially also as the individual share of the rent gets proportionally reduced.
Apart from the place to stay, the other issues which come to mind are the foreseeable problems for the Singletons the matters related to their old age when there would be nobody to take care of their health related problems and ways to spend their time more meaningfully and also need for some entertainment.
Well, there already answers available to this already.
Several modern old age homes have sprung up in various cities and towns, Neral, Pune and Lavasa, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Faridabad, Hyderabad, etc. which look more like clubs than old age homes as they have facilities like AC bedrooms with cable TV, common rooms having card rooms, bars, libraries, gardens, Yoga, massage, gym, basic medical facilities, etc.
All one has to do is to pay a lumpsum amount in one go to book these and subsequently a very reasonable monthly amount.
However, everything is not rosy, at present, w.r.t. Senior Citizens Homes. Senior Citizens Homes are good as long as a singleton is healthy, hale and hearty. However, often with modern medical support, a person lives long enough, and suffers age-related disabilities (physical and mental). At present, there are hardly any Senior Citizen Homes with assisted living and nursing facilities. However, as the demand for such senior citizens is on the rise, there is every likelyhood that more medical facilities like nursing and other assisted help would be available to the needy persons in such establishments.
The concept of Live-in relationship (a man and woman staying together without marriage) is the answer which many of the Singletons are found to be comfortable with at some stage or the other of their life, as it provides them multiple comforts like psychological and emotional, biological/ sexual, instant help in case of emergencies/urgent needs. However, mutual trust and confidence is a pre-requisite for the success of this type of living. These relationships, after a few years may change into conventional wedlock if both the partners feel so .
This relatively not so new concept of Live-in relationship( in the western world) is getting more and more popular in India now as it provides both the partners the desired space as well as the ‘intimacy’ whenever convenient to both. Today’s young generation is undeniably more welcoming the idea of getting to know one’s partner in close quarters before taking the big decision on matrimonial leap. The Live-in relationship is already accepted by society and it is not a taboo or a crime provided both the partners fulfill the norms/ requirements for a legal marriage w.r.t age and all other aspects. However, I believe proper laws are still to be in place in this regard in India.
Those of us who haven’t had the chance to live with our romantic partners before marriage have often wondered what the realities of live-in relationships in India are. I mean, American culture surely paints a rosy picture of the concept, but how exactly does it play out, desi style still needs to be seen.
More on Singletons, Live-in Partners, and other options in the context being chosen today, and shape of things likely to come . .. “Changing face of Institution of Marriage” !!!
