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Journalism of Courage
Marriages are made in heaven. Well, almost. In the Indian situation, a little help from well-meaning match-makers goes a long way in making those perfect matches. Theirs is a solemn mission 8211; to make available a common platform to scores of eligible men and women, to take into account their various demands and expectations and to make that match for a lifetime. But when you put together a potent combination of enthusiastic matchmakers playing Cupid, eager eligible men and women and anxious parents, humour is inevitable.
What about Mr. and Ms. Right who find themselves at the marriage bureau? They come in all kinds 8211; dashing dudes, coy, simpering girls, ancient dandies, age-defying women, but united by one burning desire, that of finding a perfect match.
His expectations were not too high 8211; a young, beautiful, well-educated girl who would be willing to manage work and home, of an understanding and sympathetic nature. After a little questioning, Kaitkar found out just why this particular gentleman had such a hard time. 8220;At first, the brother informed me that the eligible boy had just about managed to pass the Std. XII examination; at 36, he was not too young; he had a defective eye; and just in case it was not mentioned, he was divorced!8221; laughs Kanitkar.
Physical looks, on which so many first impressions are based, can also be deceptive. Kanitkar remembers a young, eligible-looking man who came to the bureau along with a lady who looked like she was in her 50s. 8220;As a few other eligible girls, accompanied by their parents, walked in right then, I decided to let them meet the gentleman, who was waiting at one side. I was surprised to note that these meetings were very abrupt. Soon the lady with the young-looking man in tow, came up to me, angrily demanding to know what I was up to. It turned out that the man was actually no eligible son but her husband!8221; she laughs.
It takes a lot of thought and time to decide over matters matrimonial and who would now it better than Vasant Kane of the matrimonial magazine Rohini, who has blessed countless knots. 8220;There was one young man who must have looked at hundreds of photographs of eligible girls from all over the country and met many of them. But none of them matched his expectations. Finally, the one he selected and later got married to was a neighbour in the same colony!8221; he laughs.
If you thought the term arranged marriage8217; means the respective parents arranging a match for their children, here8217;s a case of a young couple who arranged8217; their own match. Kane remembers the instance of a young and very-much-in-love couple who used the marriage bureau to their advantage. 8220;Although the young man was eligible in every way, the girl8217;s father, who held orthodox views, was against a love marriage.8217; So the young couple conspired to have their parents place a matrimonial advertisement in Rohini. Finally, the girl8217;s father selected that very boy!8221;
Most funny incidents revolve around men and women who let hope triumph over experience and get ready to tie the knot a second time. When one such gentleman, greying at the temples, walked into Kanitkar8217;s bureau, she, at first, presumed that he was the father of an eligible son. She soon discovered that this gentleman was actually in the fray himself. 8220;He was a lonely soul who had come for a short visit from the United States of America. He wanted a companion but was not willing to commit himself at once. I wondered what I could do but assured him to come back later,8221; she says. Six months later, when he walked in leaning heavily on a cane, Kanitkar was aghast to see the change in him. Gone was the confident air and jaunty walk. But his desire to get married remained unchanged. 8220;I finally convinced him to give up the idea,8221; she chuckles.
A marriage bureau reveals the quirks and idiosyncrasies of people like no other, believes Vijay Khandekar, who has run the Kolumbus Marriage Bureau for the past 15 years. 8220;Some people like everything to centre around one area! quot;I came across a couple who wanted their daughter to get married only to an eligible boy staying in Sadashiv Peth. I told them to get me the exact boundaries of the area from the Pune Municipal Corporation before coming to me!8221; he says.
With their treasure trove of anecdotes, match-making can8217;t be that serious, can it?
