Marriage or Live-together?

Marriages are made in heaven ---- thus goes the old adage; but in reality we find otherwise. Though I know that there are very few people would agree to me openly but within they know what it is. Years ago I read somewhere that in Russia the marriages are conducted with much pomp and show as we find amongst the middle class and of course wealthy and riches in India or elsewhere in South Asia, but three out of five marriages breaks shortly. Now, it is evident here too in India, especially in amongst the middle class where marriages are solemnized as still something “holy.” Problems crop up for many things, amongst the middle class or the business class mostly it is on dowry (the goodies bride brings along at the time of marriage) counts, sometime torture on newly married brides follow for bringing more and more from her father’s house. The law enacted to protect them and punish the torturer, but that is also grossly misused. I have found men being held under anti-dowry law and taken into custody for trivial husband-wife skirmishes; as wife has been advised by her, so-called, well wishers or sometime over ambitious lawyers to charge her husband labeling the simple misunderstanding as dowry torture. This is mostly done to give him a lesson without considering its consequences or what goes on with the groom’s party or family.
Well this is the common story of those couples who get ready to part or have mental preparations for divorce or separation. With the separation it starts and ends with divorce with or without alimony. If they happen to have kids, the impression of such incidents lingers; without kids it’s easy to forget the affair early. Once the initial turmoil is over they may start the life anew, it is up to them. But there are many more couples who stay together under the same roof but remain separated from each other’s heart or soul. They have kids, raise them, and quarrel of and on in presence of them. This continues for first few years after their marriage in full force; then gradually the turbulence subsides as the children grow; they too ages but the discords remain.
You know who suffers most under such situations? The kids, they know not why their parents are not in harmony; neither they understand what is the problem between them. They remain the mute spectators and suffer. In modern society most of the families are nucleus. Couples and one or two kids make the family; with quarrelsome parents around and none to take care or console the kids; how isolated the kids feel is imaginable. The current band of problem children; we find in schools, public places, restaurants or anywhere, do come from such families. This has been found by the eminent psychologist and social scientists all over the world. The socio-economic factors may have links for creating such situations but the primary factor is lack of love and understanding. Marriages are made in heaven ---so said because it bestows love and understanding on the couple that turns hell into the heaven or supposed to do so. But unfortunately modern societies with its consumerist values fail to appreciate such sublime values of life. The results are disastrous.
In the developed world gradually “the marriage” as a necessary social endorsement, validity for man and woman to stay together or raise a family is fast becoming outdated. With no confidence or spirit to go ahead and complete the life’s journey as a man and wife, people prefer “live-together” concept. Albeit in still nascent stage in countries like India, where society is still conservative, at least in big metros the “live-together” couples are not rare. It leaves the couples free from the bondage of marriage, at least its legal aspects. If it does not work, well they can part at any time. Of course kids or children have no place in a “live-together” family.
So, from the cave age, the civilization progressed to the direction as it felt logical and justified. The journey is still on, no where it stopped, though it might have taken turn at times, then carried on for long in the same directions till it suited them or the majority as history suggests. Is that now another turn from “marriage” to “live-together”?