Reading todays Sunday Times, I came across the classifieds. The
matrimonial classifieds. Perhaps I should mention at the outset it is the Times of Delhi at which I am gandering. Here a couple, out of a couple hundred, that caught my eye:
High Status South Delhi based industrialist Punjabi Arora family seeks alliance for their beautiful, fair, slim, charming, cultured Daughter. '81 born/5'5". Convent educated post graduate from most reputed Institute of Economics from London.
Looking for handsome, qualified, well settled in Business/Industrialist boy.
Caste no bar.
How nice.
On the flip side of this coin,
High Profile industrialist and multiple business Punjabi Saraswat Brahmin family invites alliance for their son, Manglik. Vegetarian, teetotaler, 5'7"/Sept 86/BBA from USA well settled in family business. Looking fro professionally qualified beautiful girl from similar status family.
Wondering: is caste a bar a bar to caste no bar?
Among the brides wanted section, the physical descriptions of the hopefuls rarely amounted to anything more than height and DOB.
Those seeking grooms are always a little more elaborate, adding at least a couple references looks, build, personality and sophistication. However, since the women are, a la Lake Wobegon, all either beautiful or very beautiful and slim and charming and sophisticated, these additional qualifiers are very little help. (Okay, I did find one that is homely and slim.)
Along that adjectival stream, roughly 70% of them plugged in either "fair" or "very fair".
None of the men seeking wives felt compelled to share in that regard.
Unsurprisingly, I suppose, not one ad noted either hair or eye color.
I'll bet there are a few lessons on human nature to be had here.
