Bride Viewing

Nimi Kurian

13 March 2008, 11:36

Ebenezer Samuelraj scanned the matrimonial pages of the Sunday’s paper. He was beginning to get worried about Priscilla.

All along he believed that a good education and a job would be enough to bring suitable grooms to his door. So he had sent Priscilla to the best school and college. She now had a Ph.d and a good job at the university. Her salary was good too –UGC scale.

But none of this brought suitors to his door. For the one thing they all wanted, Samuelraj did not have – dowry.

His eyes travelled down the page:

IAF FIGHTER Pilot Posted in Pune 34/169 F/M Protestant Chrisitan from Bangalore seeks bride 09995565589, lovelife_thanu@gmail.com

A WELL settled ethnic Malaysian Tamil aged 40 unmarried seeks alliance from goodlooking, fair, broad minded Christian girls between 25 and 32 years from any background. Interested parties may contact: 060-484999080 or e.mail: diamondfind@yahoo.com

CSI Christian 30 yrs,very fair and handsome boy working in USA, M.S(US),H1B visa, seeks fair, good looking and well mannered girl from a cosmopolitan background. Boy is coming down to India for a visit by end of May. Profile is posted on www.marriagebureau.com (Profile id: tt kn jks30) If interested please call or email, family details with girls photos to, arjun@eth.net (Email is definitely preferred and photo is a must) or call Mr. J. Aruldas (Father),Chennai-90, Cell: 98400 65432

NO BAR CSI Christian 40/172, Innocently divorced, no encumbrance living alone, clean habits. Business and Social Service seeks life partner with interest in Philosophy. Ct: 98445 63590/98445-12348. Box No. KD90875, THE BIG PAPER, Chennai-600033.

Tamil, Christian, Fair, Handsome Yng Looking MBA in late 30s Divorcee, had very short marriage, in Sr.Position with leading bank, earning decent salary seeks charming girl from respectable fly. 09568454879. Mail: kdfhg@hotmail.com

PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED MNC Employed at Chennai 39 yrs Separated (Divorce Shortly) No issues seeks proposals from educated, Christian girls. Contact Email: enjoyliving@gmail.com (or) Box No. WT55590, THE BIG PAPER, Chennai-600033.

Samuelraj smiled. A couple of them seemed promising. This Sunday may be his lucky day, he thought. Emails did not have much meaning to him as he never mastered the internet. So he made a note of the numbers and then went for his bath. He would call after breakfast he thought. By then, Prisicilla would have left for church with his wife. Then he would be able to make all the calls without interruption or interference.

Alone in the house, he made all his phone calls. Most the people he called sounded cultured and decent. Soon he fixed up a couple of appointments for the coming week. Now he would have to tell Priscilla. He dreaded that, because he knew how his daughter would react to being asked to dress up and parade in front of strangers once again.

“Anyway, that’s a father’s duty,” he reasoned, as he sighed deeply. “He has to get his daugher married.”

On Wednesday evening, Samuelraj went to the university and picked up Prisicilla on his Scooty so that she would be home early. At six o’clock promptly the ‘boy’ and his family arrived. Samuelraj was at the door to welcome them.

“Hello! Hello! Please come in,” he smiled and did a namaste.

The ‘boy’ smiled, but the mother seemed tough, the father rather subdued.

“I know who calls the shots here,” thought Samuelraj.

They settled down and the mother began. “My son is highly educated. He has a master’s degree. He is 39 years old. Unfortunately he had a bad marriage but then I set it right. He is working for an MNC now and earning good salary. We live in Packiam Gardens. We have our own house. And Anbu is our only son.”

Samuelraj could only nod. The woman paused and looked at Samuelraj. His wife nudged him.

“Ahem! Ahem! Priscilla is our only daughter. She has a Ph.d from Madras University and she is teaching there also. She earns a good salary – UGC scale…”

The woman nodded. “Can we see the girl now?”

Samuelraj looked at his wife, and she scurried inside. She prepared the tea tray and gave it to Priscilla to take it in. Priscilla was angry. She had acted out this drama so many times, from the time she was 22! Seven years of ‘bride viewing’. She had had enough. If this one did not work out then she would never ever agree to another one.

She went in with the tray. She kept her head bent because she did not want the visitors to see the fire in her eyes. She went around the motions.

“Father henpecked, mother dragon…son…oooh! Black as tar, fat and ugly…momma’s boy,” she quickly took in the family.

“Put that tray down and walk up and down,” commanded the mother dragon.

Obediently Priscilla walked up and down.

“Show me your feet.”

“Can you sing?”

“I sing in the choir,” said Priscilla.

“Sing ‘Oh God our help in ages past…’ That’s an easy one. One stanza would do,” commanded mother dragon.

Priscilla sang. Her clear, melodious voice brought tears to Samuelraj’s eyes. “Any one can see what an angel she is…”

Mother dragon nodded approvingly.

“You sing well,” she acknowledged. “But that will not put bread on the table. So let us now get down to the business angle of all this. I agree that Priscilla is educated and has a good job. But you must see that she is now 29 years old and also that she is dark. When you compare her with my son, you will realise that my son is a real catch in the marriage market. He is only 39, he has a good job, he may even travel abroad. He is smart, good looking…” she turned and looking lovingly at her son, smiled.

Priscilla felt her bile rise. She wanted to scream.

“So I was thinking we could settle for ten lakhs in cash, 50 sovereigns of gold, a car – a maruthi 800 will do, but make sure its an a/c car, and then of course the usual things for the house. You know, furniture, vessels and so on.”

Samuelraj bowed his head. There was no way he could come up with this much. He just didn’t have the money. With retirement in a couple of years, he couldn’t even get a loan. Even the house he lived in was not his own.

Mother dragon waited for a reply.

Samuelraj cleared his throat. He wondered whether he should ask for time or should he ask his brother who worked in Muscat for help, or should he sell the property that his father-in-law had willed to his wife?

Priscilla had reaching boiling point now. She could no longer control herself.

She looked mother dragon in the eye and said, “I may be dark, but your son is ugly. I can sing, while your son doesn’t have the courage to lift his head and look, or open his mouth and talk. I have a Ph.d while your son has only a master’s degree – and that too by distance education. I work in the university, I am a lecturer, your son is a clerk in the despatch section. Why should my father have to give you so much money and jewellery and all those other things? I will ensure that you will not get a paisa from us. Please take your son and your husband and leave this place. If you stay to talk or bargain I will be forced to call the police.”

Mother dragon had never been spoken to like this in all her life. She jumped up and calling her husband and son to her side, she stalked out.

At the door the son suddenly found his voice. “Ma, she is a nice girl. Why did you have to make such demands? I want to marry her, ma…”

“Idiot, I didn’t raise you for this. Now walk!”

Comment

  1. If dowry is an evil practice, then women are mainly responsible

    — Braj · Mar 14, 11:40 · #

  2. i loved those matrimonial ads. your tam chris characterisation is brilliant

    — nina · Mar 14, 12:34 · #

  3. The Great Indian matrimonial circus ! A place for a marrage auction.
    Very well written ,humorous and frightfully TRUE.

    — Jude · Mar 16, 15:48 · #

  4. Wow, that was beautifully written.. this whole “seeing the girl” deal is just sick.. n to top it dowry… shucks…

    — Aaarti · May 20, 14:51 · #

Textile Help