| Description | Track 1: test signal 0.39 mins
Interview with Jai Tireth Ram, a student in Madras. He discusses the Indian tradition of arranged marriages, the importance of marrying someone from the same caste and with a similar economic background, and the influence of astrology on negotiations. He describes the process that both families go through in inspecting potential brides and grooms and setting the dowry, and goes on to explain the different wedding celebrations. He discusses his parents attitudes towards sex and marriage, and how they differ from his own attitudes. He would like to be more rebellious, but does not meet many girls in daily life, and thinks that girls are more bound by tradition and family loyalties anyway, so it is highly unlikely he would have a love marriage. He goes on to talk about seeing a film called 'Cactus Flower' and his feelings about the freedoms depicted in this film, his difficulties in socialising with girls, and his feelings that only very rich and westernised groups of people are able to live differently. He talks about people from different social backgrounds at his college, their interests and political views, and describes his own social background, his father's career, and the places he has lived in, including Simla and Delhi. He goes on to talk about the development of his own political beliefs and his views about Communism, the revolutionary movement and working class struggles. He discusses the influence of Britain and America in India, and talks about his preconceptions about what Britain and America are like, based on literature, culture and newspaper reports from both countries, and how he would be treated if he went there. He ends by talking about Brahmin rituals and his own lack of religious beliefs (tracks 1-12).
Total: 32.33 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF549C0131880 |