MarriageAdvertisements in India

Every Sunday morningmillions of Indians settle down with a cup of tea and special weekend issues of

theirnewspapers,just as Americans do.But here,with the marriage seasonapproaching,many of them quick-

ly to a Sundayfeature that is particularly Indian-the-columns of marriage advertisements inwhich young peo-

pie look forhusbands and wives.This is relatively modern change in the age-old custom ofthe arranged

marriage.Thethousands of advertisements published each week increasingly reflect socialchanges that

coming to thistraditional society.For example,although women are still described in terms ofappearance,or

skill in"thewifely arts,"information about her earning power is entering more and moreof the advertise-ments.This reflects the arrival in India of the working wife.

Divorce,%%Thichuse(1 to be almost unheard of iii India,is sometimes now mentioned inthe advertisements

as in the case of awoman whose advertisemeiit in New Delhi newspaper explained that had been"the inno-

cent party"whenher marriage broke up.

Because the customof the dowry(marriage payment)is now illegal,some advertisements say"nodow-

ry",or"simplemarriage",which means the same thing. However,the fathers of manybridegrooms still re-

quire it.

In a land wherelight skin is often regarded as socially preferable,many also require that awoman have

a"wheat-color"complexionor that a man be"tall,fair and handsome".

Advertisements areplaced and eagerly read by a wide range of people in the upper classes,mostlyin

cities.Many of themreceive dozens of answers."There'S nothing embarrassing aboutit,"explained a Cal-

cutta businessmanadvertising a son-in-law."It's just another way of broadening the contactsand increase

the possibility ofdoing the contacts and increasing the possibilities of doing the best one forone's daughter."

Because of highunemployment and a generally poor standard of living here,one of the bestattractions a

marriageadvertisement can offer is a permit to live abroad,especially in Canadaor the United States.A per-

son who has one canget what he wants.

One recent Sunday inMadras,for example,a Punjabi engineer living in San Francisco advertisedfor a

"beautiful slimbride with lovely features knowing music and dance."And a man whoseadvertisement said

that he held anAmerican immigration permit was able to say,only girls from rich,well-connectedfamilies

need apply.In India there isa high divorce rate.

A.Right

B.Wrong

C.Not mentioned