During the initial dating phase, it's all hearts and flowers and sure enough, if you truly love someone, a different religious background shouldn't stop you from being with him/ her. But cultural differences can affect your day-to-day life with that person and lead to problems in a relationship.

Says 26-year-old Mumbai call centre executive Janine Master*, "I'm a Parsi and my parents are very keen for me to get married within the community. When I was in school, however, I started going around with a non-Parsi boy who was a little older than me. For the first couple of years I was head over heels in love. As time passed, however, I began to realise that a lifelong adjustment would be difficult for me. His parents were good people, but things were very different in their home. I would have had to give up non-vegetarian food and they made it quite clear that they preferred me to wear Indian clothing rather than the Western wear I was used to."

Continues Janine, "As things stood, I told my boyfriend I would have a better relationship with my in-laws if we lived separately after marriage. He argued that it was out of the question -- I would simply have to adjust to his parents' views. That's when I finally called it off, when we had been together for six years. It was painful for both of us, but I don't regret making that decision. It was for the best in the long run. I don't necessarily want to marry within the community, but I do need someone who has an open-minded family like mine."