Cupid on the info highway!

Rohini, the well-known 52-year-old matrimonial magazine from Pune, has an on-line marriage network 8211; indiaworld.co.in/rohini 8211; since two years. Says Vasant Kane, proprietor, 8220;The response has been good and we have succeeded in getting many alliances through, predominantly between Maharashtrians from different parts of the globe.8221; The site works through the India World server, though they are launching an independent site on Gudi Padwa.

Sujata Deodhar, who was previously working with Rohini, started another site on the Net, entitled Lifemate puneflash.com, in January 1998. 8220;For most young people who are keen on going abroad, or families who are settled abroad, the Internet makes an easily accessible and very economical medium, giving them a vast choice as well,8221; she says. 8220;And people come to me personally, because that builds up trust,8221; she continues.

Deodhar, however, feels that Puneites are still conservative and Internet awareness is low. 8220;They feel that if we don8217;t have a connection at home, it is not viable to put up their names on the Net. One can access the Net from anywhere these days. In the last year, the progress has been better, which makes me feel that they are coming out of their shell,8221; she says.

The group Expressions, comprising Rasika Bisht, Randhir Dange and Sandeep Apte, operates through their independent server, which is installed in New Jersey, USA. Their web-site was launched a few months ago but has already registered more than 6,000 hits. The site is hindumarriage.com but brings people from all communities together.

It is a beautifully designed site, with matrimonial motifs like haldi-kunku and brocade borders to make it look festive. The site offers comprehensive information under different sections 8211; brides, grooms, second marriage, software professionals and defence. And like the preceding sites, has highly educated young people as members. Says Dange of Expressions, 8220;We started the site because it is an interactive one, there8217;s so much creativity and movement. It was also a sort of social service we wanted to be associated with. More and more young people are finding partners for themselves by browsing regularly on the Net.8221;

The Internet matrimonial service has one glaring drawback though. It is prone to manipulation, which could serve as an obstacle in the path of matrimony. Says Kane, 8220;We give maximum details of would-be brides and grooms, but sans home addresses and photographs. Since it is personal and confidential information, there are chances that telephone numbers and addresses could get misused.8221;

8220;Sometimes, somebody giving wrong information could create problems. For instance, a divorcee once came to us, and he had not written about his divorce in his bio-data. Such instances can discourage many girls,8221; says Dange.

Such disadvantages apart, this medium of finding a life partner is becoming increasingly popular with people who want a wider choice, judging by the huge number of hits each site registers. At nominal charges, the information is sustained on the sites for more than a year.

Besides its myriad other uses, the Internet could well be said to play Cupid too, attempting to bring couples-destined-to-marry together.