Shifting Sands

All these years while observing the typical elderly Indian couple in my family and elsewhere, I have noticed a strange paradox. While superficially, the relationship is dominated and guided by the man, the woman is quintessential support that nourishes the relationship. Without them, the grandpas are quite helpless. As India braces for globalization and traditional family structure undergoes a metamorphosis the lack of institutionalized support for the elderly will be felt more than ever. And till the time it becomes a norm rather than exception the couples will continue to support each other through thick and thin.