But psychologists warn they're not for everyone

With an increase in number of divorces, live-in relationships and an increased demand for working women as life partners, a lot has changed in the relationship of togetherness. And now many married couples in the city are embracing a new arrangement of marriage — the 'weekend marriage'. It is an arrangement in which two people live in different places through the week and come together only on weekends.

Udita Junjenwala, a freelance journalist says, "My husband and I have been married for a year now. He works at very unsociable hours. So he stays in his bachelors pad and I stay with my parents in South Mumbai." She adds, "The good part about this is that you always look forward to spending time with your spouse — that excitement is always there."

James Jacob, 30, a corporate event manager who works in Chakala, says, "My wife works in Chembur. She hates travelling for long hours to work and so do I. And hence I stay with a friend near office and she stays with her parents in Chembur. Though we have a house of our own in Andheri, we spend time there on weekends."

"I am a Tamil-Brahmin and he is a Christian. We have very different lifestyles, so this arrangement has done us good. But we plan to live together when we have kids," says James's wife.

Suresh Patil, 34, who works with a media house (name changed due to professional reasons), says, "For me, this arrangement works wonders. We both have demanding jobs. She is into marketing and lives in Bandra and I live in Vashi."

Suresh's wife adds, "Many of my married colleagues get to spend time with each other only on the weekends, thanks to their jobs. And they usually complain about the lots of cleaning and the washing that they have to do during weekends. Suresh and I don't have to bother about that. Our respective families take care of all our needs and on weekends we are free to have a blast."

Manish Sharma works for UTV and his wife stays in Ahmedabad. Since two years, Manish has been visiting his wife and kid every weekend. "I had relocated to Mumbai with my wife Deepa and son Yashraj, 2. But Yashraj had health problems here, so Deepa decided to go back to Ahmedabad. I miss my child terribly."

"Though there are some for whom 'weekend marriage' is perfect, but this arrangement is not for everyone. There are people who require too much personal space and for them this arrangement can be the key to a long-lasting marriage," says psychologist Vurkha Chulani.

Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Seema Hingorrany adds, "A couple's sexual life can get affected in this relationship. And that is the biggest drawback of this relationship."