Marriage is an important institution across the globe and the way it
works in India is different and unique. Arranged marriages are a norm in this
society and love marriages are an exception. We were all brought-up in the
world where 'marriage broker' arranges for a marriage between two parties -
bride and groom. He is a person who goes from place to place seeking
information about available brides and grooms. He could find a match between
suitable candidates in the capacity of the network he could build over a period
of time.
In the internet age, matrimony websites have taken over the
traditional 'business' of fixing a match between bride and groom. The
candidates can post their profile on websites like http://bharatmatrimony.com, http://shaadi.com or http://jeevansaathi.com. Registered
candidates can browse and search for their potential partners, interact with
them through messages or even get access to their phone numbers to talk to
them.
Now, does it matter if the bride is of Indian origin residing in USA
and gets married to groom working in Australia. The reach is vast and the
'arrangement' online gives a better chance for the candidates to understand
each other better. Does that mean we are moving away from the
traditional 5-minute chat between girl and boy before marriage? Maybe, a change
for better is always welcome.