A new dimension to unconventional marriages

Necessity knows no law, they say.We know that in a wider sense that the necessity does not care about age-old customs, traditions and social norms either.

For example, when a young man and a young woman find that there is a strong emotional and spiritual bond between them formed in the course of sharing common interests or in any other circumstances, they would enter into a life-long partnership disregarding the age-old established norms pertaining to marriage.

Despite, all this marriage is still being widely looked on as a sacred institution, the long-established practice of choosing a life partner from the same nationality, race, religion and the caste appears to be dying out slowly but steadily.  

However, a large majority of people in our country still seem to believe in the conventional marriage judging by the contents of numerous marriage proposals advertised in the national weeklies these days.

Parents choosing a life partner 
In most of these cases, it is the parents who seek a partner for their son or daughter and they invariably make it a point to mention their ethnicity, religion and caste indicating preference for a bride or a bridegroom from the same community. 

Parental initiative takes a back seat
Nevertheless, there is a growing trend among parents to allow leeway for their children to marry a partner of their choice irrespective of ethnic, religious or caste compatibility.  Very often, nowadays young men and women meet and fall in love and later seek parental consent to tie the knot.  While, the inter-caste and inter-racial marriages are on the increase now, yet another type of unconventional marriage has entered the equation: either a love relationship or marriage with a foreigner.

Foreigners turning bridegrooms 
The local- foreigner relationships have begun to increase of late with more and more foreign nationals visiting the country as tourists, investors, and resource personnel on foreign-funded development projects.  Another factor contributing to the increase of this type of unconventional marriage is more and more Sri Lankans securing employment in Mid-east and certain developed countries mostly in the West. 
Our present purpose is to discuss the Astrological factors that lead to a local marrying a foreigner throwing all conventions to the four winds.

Rahu’s role in unconventional marriages
Vedic Astrologers credit Rahu, the shadow planet with causing unconventional marriages, those with foreigners in particular. 
Rahu, in fact, is believed to be playing an important role connecting a native with everything foreign.  Rahu also plays a major role in timing the unconventional marriages.  For instance, a marriage with a foreigner would take place either in the major Dasa period of Rahu or in his sub-Dasa period in the major Dasa lord of the 7th House. 

Planetary positions signifying an unconventional marriage
Given below are a few planetary positions that lead to marriage with a foreigner. 

• Rahu associated with the 7th lord in the 12th House indicates marriage with a foreign national.
• Rahu placed in his constellation or that of the 12th lord occupying the 6th or the 12 House in Rasi (D1), Sapthamsa (D7) or Navamsa (D7) charts points to the possibility of marrying a foreigner.
• Venus, Significator of both marriage and marriage partner, if placed with Rahu or in 2/12 positions with Rahu or is aspected by Rahu, signifies marriage with a foreigner.     
• The lord of the 7th house in the 12th House or vice versa points to a marriage with a foreigner and taking up residence abroad. 
•  The lord of the 12th House posited in the 4th House while being aspected by Venus or the lord of the 7th House signifies marriage with a foreigner and living abroad. 
• The lord of the 12th house in the 7th House with the lord of the 4th House indicates marrying a foreigner.
• Rahu occupying either the 12th House or the 6th House in the Rashi, Sapthamsa and Navamsa charts would cause the native to marry a foreigner.
• The 12th lord either from the Moon or the Lagna placed in the asterism (Nakshatra) of Rahu would lead to marrying a foreigner.
• Venus, either posited with or aspected by Rahu in the 2nd or the 12th position to each other in the Navamsa chart indicates marriage with a foreigner.

Rahu also plays a vital role in timing the marriages with foreign nationals. Such marriages would take place during the Maha Dasa or Antar Dasa of Rahu or failing which in the Dasa period of the 7th lord.