Like what you read?

Do you like what you read? Have you had similar or parallel experiences on those sites? Do you share the same interests as me?

If you are interested in marraige seriously, then send me a message on my Facebook profile (@ the bottom of this page) and we could communicate further.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Varied Profiles

Some profiles I have come across on Shaadi.com

No offence to those who have made a brave effort to put up their profile in whatever bits of English they could string together. Once upon a time, it was sentences like these that would amuse me, but not any more. Today, I think I am more sensitive to others who may not have the advantage on these leading Indian but English matrimonial websites in a country that is more vernacular and diversified even in a rapidly advancing city like Mumbai. I wonder why they don't offer a language option on the matri-websites when even social platforms like Facebook offer the option.

SH69273105
Hi dis s cool sagar, Qualified frm a v. much reputed institute of mumbai m quite spiritual friendly & fun loving by nature. Experienced many ups n down of life seems to ten year younger of age maintained my physic is one can say my achievements right well enjoying my profession n comedy movies is my hobby. Finally decided to settle down with any one of you.. Thanks sharing your valuable moment...... regards.
***
dipak_kap( SH93278294 )
Other members can refer or search for you by your Profile ID (SH93278294) or User Name (dipak_kap)_Shaadi.com(9 aug2010).
 

i am divorci but just unmarried because i married girls was doctor but she maid girl by madical oparetion from boy to girls see is just no man no girls this is very bad chitting and by hard work i come out from that situation i am simpel but belive in all riligious & honesty, respect to all & all lworld. i have perfect gole of life. i respect all riligious. my family is very small two member & my father. my father is rtd. govt. officer. ilike music drowing (he means drowning or driving?), travelling. yoga. i belive in truth. i like same way family velu cerring girl for me. i belive more in in hindu.
***

When she asked, "What's Wrong With Me?"

Search Log: 1998

Back then, marriage bureaus were very popular in our circle, and thus we visited one such popular agent, Priya Shah. She gave us a list of prospective candidates with their numbers, and left us to our own wills. Her job was over.

One-by-one, mother called up the families and introduced herself along with the reason of calling. For some reason or the other, like lack of hobbies, their expectations of a non-working housewife, and so on, things did not click.

On one such phone call, the mother of the boy or guy asked:
"Your daughter is 28 years old and still unmarried?"
"Yes", my mother replied. 
"Is there some reason that she is still unmarried?"
"Ji nahi. She is looking for a person who shared the same interests."
"Is there something wrong with her, health and body wise?
"Oh no, she perfectly fine..."

I was taken back by the obnoxious question. Were we, as girls expected to disclose our body or plumbing issues on the phone at the first round of communication itself? And when faced with such an inquiry, can we counter it with some of our own, like" Can he get it up?", or "How does he stay fit?" or "Is he a virgin?" or even "Is his sperm count normal?" and so on?

Neeways, bureaus like Priya Shah drew a null-and-void for me. Don't think they will work for profiles like mine anyways, not when I am being probably "too choosy" to tie the knot with the first Gujju boy of the same stature and education. 

When She Demanded "What Is Your Height?"

Profile: Don't Know
Religion: Jain
Profession: Don't Care
Based In : USA
Search Log: December 2008

On one of her 2-year trips to India, my aunt who is getting increasingly anxious about my single status, refered me a prospective Jain candidate settled in the US, who happened to be related to her daughter's in-law's family.

I meekly submitted my matrimonial CV and a photograph. A few days later a received an agitated phone call from a lady who identified herself as the aunt of the candidate.

"Hello, Im YYY, relative of Mrs Shah staying on Road No 3,"
"Yes, mam,"
"I was looking through your CV. It says you are 163cms. But your profile on Shaadi.com states that you are 5.4feet. But 163cms is not 5.4. So what are you?"
"I'm 5.4 feet mam."
"But you should be clear in your biodata. How is one to understand? Your biodate is not clear at all!"
"But, mam, you at least have all my details!' I argued. "I don't even have your nephew's biodata, or even the name of the person I am being considered for!"
Silence from the other end of the phone.
"What is the boy's name, mam?"
"XXX."
The phone clicked, she had disconnected.
I saw a red& purple mist of rage for the rest of the otherwise clear December-day.

Lesson learnt: Never give your biodata/CV to any party for matrimonial reasons before the party's CV has been given to you.

When Raven Met Fire

My First Blind Date: October 2000

It was sometime in June 2000, when a friend dragged me to a cyber-cafe to introduce  orient me to the computer and the internet, both of which I was reluctant to learn at the time. She opened a few pages that she knew would hook me to the net, like Lakecards.com with their beautiful java applets of the moving, rippling water; yahoo groups, google.com and some interesting travel sites. And boy, I got hooked!

One one such cyber-cafe visit, she helped create an email account for me and showed me how to chat and we entered a chat-group. My first very email ID was Raven and we entered a general chat-room and chatted with each other in the chat-room, even while we were jseated ust 2 seats away, exchanging glances, grinning at each other and laughing when guys would try to hit on us in the chat-room and ask about our real names and also when we crashed into other group chats and disturbed their rhythm. I remember finding it weird and even pointless to chat with someone who is sitting right next to you, but coming back to my story...

Sometime into the chat-room fun, I started building a rapport with a dude who called himself Fire. Since our 1 hour was up, and the waiting queue was long, we exchanged email IDs, at my friend's behest, I decided to follow up with him the next day, as he seemed interesting.

I remember visiting the cyber-cafe a couple of times more and receiving some very warm emails from Fire. I was flattered by the attention he showered on me. A month later, I got my first job as a web writer, and I got access to a computer and the net, and this way I could write to Fire more often. I must have received some 10 or 15 lovely emails from him by then, and was very eager to meet this Fire. His warm emails, fiery language, interesting analogies and bits about his experiences were very good reads. I would not say I was infactuated, but yes, I was eager and curious enough to want to mee him.  He had in the following couple of months revealed his name, his profession and his office address, so I was not worried much about the risks. I vaguely remember speaking to Fire (Sudhir S)on the phone a couple of times. I discussed meeting Fire at length with my friend, and she encouraged me to meet him in a public place.

Sometime in October that same year, we decided to meet up. I gave him my office address, which was at Churni Road at the time, and he dropped in and I still remember warmly welcoming a smart looking formally dressed chap into my office lobby. We went to a nearby fast-food joint I think, and had a burger.

During the span of that month, we met every Sunday, either at a restaurant or at Planet M, since we shared the same passion for music. With some enthusiasm, I even surprised him with a small parcel, a page- long poetry penned by me, a candle, an 'Enigma' album-cassette and some funny gimmicky stuff drawing references to some of the discussions we had had in the past. He seemed mildy happy to receive my surprise parcel. 

Steadily, the Fire in his emails subsided to some ashy remains of 'Thank You' and a dry apology by email for not calling me one Sunday. And probably for one last time, when asked about whether he was the one penning those beautiful long emails, his usual 3-word email expanded one last time to 3 whole lines, emphatically confirming that it was indeed him and sounding a tad offended, before they stopped altogether.

Yep, I had secret fantasies of marrying this Fire, lekin woh aag 2 mahine main bhuj gayi. I was level-headed enough to not push the idea on him, but I naively thought even if it didn't work out, we would "stay friends forever". I remember being very disappointed when come December, Sudhir's communication lines with me had ceased altogether and he had remained inactive or offline in my chat box; I'm assuming he had deleted me. That's the end of the Fire & Raven story. Never again did enter chat-rooms thereafter.