Marriage Market – A first hand experience

Context:
When my dad was planning for a visit to near by gathering of parents of prospective brides and grooms, I did not pay much attention. I thought it was a routine visit they wanted to pay. My first shock came when my dad wanted me to neatly dress up for the occasion so that I can impress some prospective bride. I never believed in quick marriages. I protested, threatened my dad with small threats and also tried recommendation from my mom. None of them worked. I made up my mind for a brand new experience.

The Place:
Place is crowded with hundreds of people, mostly parents of the girl/boy. We were given a book with the list of girls/boys registered were given and each one is assigned a number. There is a stage in the centre where the organizers were sitting and announcing details of person along with his/her preferences. We are also asked to fill some application where we can apply to 5 girls of our choice from the list. The application would be read out aloud so that they come to meet us.

Announcement:Most of the applications being read out are of boys and painfully for them none from the girls side turned. Announcements started taking shape of mini market where the strong point of the good for sale is being reiterated for takers benefit. I would have thought none from girls’ side turned up or something. As I chanced to sit beside a girls parent, I could not take such a premise. Every time they announce their number, they started pretending it is not theirs.

All of a sudden they started reading out details of girls and their requirements. Mostly requirements went as salary > 60K pm or US/UK/Canada/Australia working and/or preferences were for those men working for reputed IT companies and/or IIT/IIM grads.(I cursed them for not printing my college name against my details ). Some announcements looked gross to me when they started announcing the pay packet girl is taking home and trying to tempt the takers. There was an announcement where the girl wanted to find some one who is already in Australia or ready to travel to Australia or at least willing to travel with her as dependent. As I am living alone I can’t say I am too bad at household chores and raised my hand. I am not sure if they genuinely ignored or they did not even notice. A moment later I was a relived man, as I remembered the attacks on Indian in Australia. Thank God!!

I felt the girls today giving men the taste of the medicine earlier generation boys given to girls. For a man who takes too much pride in himself like me, it would be too embarrassing if no takers are found, so I did not wait till my name is announced.  (It later turned out that there were few takers for me, though I guess most of them turned up because of the 7figure salary)

The End:Earlier marriages used to happen taking into consideration two items. One is Family history (up to 3 generations or 7 depending on convenience) and man’s accomplishment/prospective accomplishments. In practical scnerios following sloka in Sanskrit can be applied that says

Kanya varayathe rupam, matah vittam pitah srutam
Bandhavah kulamichanthi mrustanna mithare janah

Meaning girl selects a man by his looks and other physical attributes. Girl’s mother looks for money so that the daughter can be well off. Dad checks if the man has good conduct and is good at following Vedas in spirit. Other relatives see if the man belongs to same community or not. Rest only look only for marriage lunch/dinner.