Why I read adverts in newspapers is a mystery. Why I pay attention to sarkari advertisements is a bigger mystery. Here’s one I spotted in ‘The Hindu’ a few days back. (Yes, I read this paper. I already know Duggu’s pet name!) Read carefully, it’s important. What? You are busy looking at the picture? Oh well, I’ll quote it to you here in that case.
It shows a Mrs. B(h)ennet in a gambhir mudra talking to herself, saying,
“He wants to marry my daughter and doesn’t even own a house!”
The daughter in question, and this I am sure you must have noticed, is a pretty girl playing dandiya in all her finery. Then, as if out of nowhere, a voice from above, or rather one from GIC Housing Finance, goes on to shower some pearls of wisdom upon your manly coconuts. In typical governmental fashion of ‘simplewordedness’ and simplemindedness the advert talks to the future grooms ...
[To read further, please click here.]
I couldn't stop smiling at the fact that a corny advertisement like this could lead to a wonderfully satirical post like what you have penned down at Newsyaps. Wonder when the Indian concept of linking a man's "coconut-hood" (to use your term) to an own house, a gaddi. In fact, at the cost of making a few enemies, I will go on to confess that in one "recently split" South Indian state, it is not enough if you have a own house, you also need to be "enn aar eye" or "you ess" return and you will command maximum payment for your "coconut-hood".
ReplyDeleteAwesome post as usual, and psst, I have sent you something, let me know what you think of it.
Hahaha, delightfully funny examples you give me of the 'divided' state. Now I know where to advertise for my son's marriage and how! :D
DeletePsst, I have seen it and will show it to the world soon! :D
Yes , I too had seen this GIC ad and when telestars are hired they grab more eyeballs and in a short span of time. Sakshi you have written a wonderful post out of a non-descript ad.The matrimonial market is unfair to girls read fair and pretty maidens are wanted but eligible boys too do not have it easy. Owning a home , a car etc are the essentials to 'procuring ' a bride.
ReplyDeleteI have always heard from men too how the matrimonial market treats them unfairly too. How marriage means change and leaving home and what not for them too. How it comes with it's own degree of newness equally for them as for the women. I think it's true. Although, here I totally exclude those fat/qualified.over-qualified wallets which agree to sell themselves off - newspaper ads or no ads, and lose their "educated" voice infront of mamma-pappa's ideas of Shagan.
DeleteThanks a lot for liking the post, Kalpana. :)
Oh lord, I must be the most unattractive bachelor in town in that case. I must rectify that by starting to attend dandiya parties!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what is 'dikaar'?
:D I never thought of that! ;)
DeleteAnd dikaar is a small dakaar. You know we Punjabis are. Parantha-Paranthee, dakaar-dikaar. We have our words to signify sizes don't we? :D
Thanks for reading, Rickie!
The Indian marriage 'market' is a big JOKE.
ReplyDeleteWith multiple jokers playing the role of 'heroes; in this comedy movie. :)
DeleteI was confused about dikaar too but I saw your explanation above :). How come I never get to see these ads? Are they only targeted at Dilliwallahs? Chalo at least you brought out the angst of poor bachelors :).
ReplyDeleteChalo, good that got clarified, like shuddh Punjabi butter. :D It was in The Hindu, and surely targeted at those who can afford to buy a house before selling themselves off. :P
DeleteThanks a lot for reading, Rachna!
Watched the ad few days back on TV. Yes, the world works on sterotypes. The moulds are circulated and impressions keeps coming out. Breaking those mould is a challenge, your blog seems to be doing that well. Keep breaking..err, blogging.
ReplyDeleteI laugh at stereotypes till they are merely laughable, and then I break them in the true sense of the word if I know they are going beyond the bearable and the reasonable standards of living.
DeleteThanks, Amrita. Happy you like my blog here. :)
I love readind ads like this. They always gives a good laugh.... And these days only the financial aspect and having a own house or car or luxurious matter these days in the Indian Marriage Market. God only knows how this is gonna end up...
ReplyDeleteAwesome post as always :)
You are right, only God knows how, if at all, this will end. Thanks for reading, Sheethal. :)
DeleteCrazy! It makes me think of a 'well-wisher' who when I went to invite her for my wedding, asked how many siblings my husband had, and whether the house was on his name! ;)
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Seriously? I really wonder why such people don't get down to writing. They would make such good humour writers. :D
DeleteWell, well-wisher indeed! :D
Could stop laughing at this one. Way to go, Sakshi!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Spunky. You find it funny and I'm happy. :)
DeleteI have just managed to pick myself up from the floor. I'll die laughing. :-D
ReplyDeleteIt's so true. I still remember one of my aunts telling me, "You could have chosen someone better than a Sales Executive. Someone with a nice bank balance, house and a car." At 22, I couldn't respond to her, but here's my response if she happens to read this ever, "Auntyji, while trading my heart, I forgot to check the bank balance, the car and the house, but just fell for him as a person and just went by my heart which said he's the chosen one." :-)
Yes, I was warned I will never adjust in a service class house coming from a business class house. Neither then nor now do I understand what those people meant. Thank God! If would be infra dig to my dignity to even understand stupidity. :P
DeleteWrite a romantic "chosen one" post no? You can include the anecdote you mention here. ;)
It just had me wondering about the future when my daughter would be getting married. And how would that start? Like this??? :))
ReplyDeleteI pray that it starts the way you, as her mom, wish it to start. There can be no better way fror the both of you. :)
DeleteThanks for reading, Poornima! :)
As usual, enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteIf Kokilaben, Sudha Murty, etc. (or their parents) had insisted on 'financial stability' of the groom, we may never have had Reliance, Infosys, etc..
I am disappointed, but not at all surprised, that some people celebrate the fact that the 'bride's side' is now getting back at the 'groom's side'. We need to stop all lousy practices, irrespective of who the perpetrator is and who the victim is. As Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind."
I am sure the 'eye for an eye' is not what anyone meant. It was all meant in jest. After all, one of the most important relationships cannot be forged over bundles and boxes - this, I think, the groom as well as the bride's side realise. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting reference to Reliance! :D
Thanks for stopping by, Proactive Indian.