But it’s the most recent such instance in a story that continues to reveal how age gaps and inter-caste marriages are still revealing social divisions and dilemmas in India, as a couple from Bengaluru sought protection from the Mysuru Superintendent of Police (SP) office, fearing threats to their lives from family members.
The couple, Kavitha (37) and Bhaskar (22), now live in Challaghatta near Kumbalagodu, in the hinterland of Bengaluru. The couple has been dating for over a year and will wed after a secret ceremony in Ontikoppal, Mysuru, according to the report. But their union hasn't been welcomed by their families, and so, in every sense, the tension and threats have been laid bare.
The life story of Kavitha gives an additional twist to the equation. She had been married for nearly 14 years before having a son about one and a half years later. After her husband died of a disease, she was left alone with her son. She has lived alone since then in Challaghatta, where the household is in the care of her parents.
Kavitha met Bhaskar approximately one year ago, a professional driver who works in auto-rickshaws and Tata Ace (TT) vehicles. Over time, their acquaintance developed into a romantic relationship. They said they discovered intimacy and kinship in one another, even though they were so different in age and situation.
But Kavitha’s family vigorously resisted their romance. In addition to saying that there is a 15-year age difference, Kavitha’s family members have accused her of having a 13-year-old son, the reports say. According to reports, they were warning the couple to halt their relationship and continued insisting that the marriage not occur. Caste-based opposition has played a part in this, Bhaskar argues. He is of the Lingayat community, and Kavitha is of the Gowda community, and that is something that made Kavitha push back from her family.
The couple married through all of that, and they have lived together since. But the pressure was said to be mounting, and now they were pursuing legal protection.
This has recently motivated them to search out a letter from the office of the Mysuru SP, motivated by both fear for safety and security from their superiors. The case has highlighted the ongoing societal issue of couples choosing partners outside of traditional norms because of age differences, caste divides or personal history.
But where the law of India protects the right of consenting adults to marry, acceptance within the community is slower to catch up. Police officials confirmed the couple’s request and are expected to investigate and do whatever they can to keep them safe, authorities said. At the same time, the couple continues its unequivocal decision: that it wants to live alongside, but with, peace.
