r/IndianWomen

I’ve always wanted a close female friendship, but somehow it has never really worked out for me.

And I just want to clarify something before it gets misunderstood it’s not because I prefer male friends or avoid women. It’s actually the opposite. I’ve always wanted that kind of bond with another girl.

I’ve had female friends at different stages of my life, but many of those friendships ended up being toxic or emotionally draining, and I had to distance myself for my own peace.

Since then, I haven’t really been able to find a genuine, comfortable connection where there’s no jealousy or competition, just a simple and safe friendship.

Over time, it started making me question if I’m just unlucky when it comes to this. From childhood till now, I often feel like I’m the one who ends up hurt or disappointed.

I’ve honestly never said this out loud before, so even writing this feels a bit strange.

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

>‘Nata Pratha’, a custom in which girls are “sold” on stamp paper or through informal agreements in the name of marriage, has come under renewed scrutiny, with the Central Information Commission directing the disclosure of an action taken report submitted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to the National Human Rights Commission.

>In a recent order, Information Commissioner P R Ramesh said the ministry must revisit an RTI request and provide the action taken report it shared with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), after redacting the exempted portions.

>The NHRC, in a statement dated June 6, 2024, had taken a serious view of the practice, calling it a “social evil”.

>“The NHRC takes a serious view of ‘Nata Pratha’ under which girls in some communities are sold either on a stamp paper or otherwise in the name of marriage, having no legal sanctity in parts of Rajasthan and the adjoining areas in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat,” it had said.

>Terming the practice “unethical” and “immoral” with severe consequences for women and minor girls, the NHRC had called for the eradication of the custom.

>It had issued notices to the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the states concerned, directing them to submit action taken reports within eight weeks.

>The ministry had informed the NHRC that the practice appeared “derogatory” to women and needed to be abolished.

>The NHRC also cited a case where the father of a minor girl in Rajasthan sold her for marriage under the ‘Nata Pratha’ for Rs 2.5 lakh through a deal signed between the families in the presence of villagers.

>While an initial payment of Rs 60,000 was made, the remaining amount was not paid in time, following which the father brought the girl back and fixed her ‘Nata’ again with another man for Rs 32,000.

>The girl opposed the arrangement and returned to live with the first man. She later alleged harassment and threats by her father before committing suicide in June 2020.

Please advise: I’m in love with a guy for more than 3 years. I met him in college and It started with friendship first, and I wasn’t attracted towards him or anything, but I don’t know how I fell in love with him. I didn’t realise it, or you can say I was in denial for a few months.

He was/is in a relationship with someone who is really nice and all, but she can’t marry him for religious reasons. I didn’t commit to anybody else, not in hope or anything, but I couldn’t even imagine being with anyone other than him, and still can’t. I used to cry every single time seeing them together in college and whenever he posted on Instagram.

We were not in contact for a while, and after he broke up with her, he said that no tag yet but we have a future. But because of a mistake of mine, I think he is back with her. I don’t know, as he has lately been avoiding my phone calls as well.

It breaks my heart, and I cry every night. I don’t know what to do.

I've tried to move on and everything, tried therapy, distracting myself and currently super focused on my career. But still there is a heaviness in my chest whenever I think about him, see his story. It's like if I'm doing something work related or anything and even if I'm not doing anything, I'm always thinking about him, always crying and remembering conversations and memories with him. or looking at his pictures.

P.S. He has known that I love him for the past 1.5 years.