I'm frm india and I do agree with dracula that a marriage should happen only when there is a mutual consent from both parties. But unfortunately some arranged marriages in india take place with a complete disregard to the girl's wishes. Most of them happen for want of dowry or other vested interests.

But arranged marriages are not always bad. A lot of ppl in india are shy and are not very comfortable with dating. So arranged marriages come to the rescue here. A suitable groom or bride is first introduced via a matchmaker, who is usually related to or a friend of either of the families and the girl and the boy then meet to decide on their future. But to say that dating is taboo in india would be wrong. What is considered wrong are extra marital affairs or sex before marriage. Courtship does happen in india and is very prevalent. A lot of marriages taking place in india are love marriages. The younger generation in india doesn't believe in arranged marriages. They are more open now and have no inhibitions towards dating.