Mega matrimonial meets attract tens of thousands of prospective brides and grooms at these swayamvars; parents too can participate in such melas.
CHENNAI: Sita had to wait till Ram came along to break the massive bow. Karna was rejected from the Draupadi Swayamvar, even though he hit the revolving bird’s eye while looking at reflection in a pool, on caste lines. If modern day brides and grooms have new challenges to face while finding a match, here are the new-age swayamvars from India’s burgeoning online matrimonial service providers.
Chennai saw one of the biggest matchmaking melas late last month when Bharat Matrimony organised a ‘mega swayamvar’ where 10,000 brides, grooms and parents interacted with each other. Mumbai-based Shaadi Point, a wing of Shaadi.com, is planning another on April 22. The two leading online matrimonial service providers, with 20 million registered members between them, are planning region and community specific mass matrimonial meets across the country.
“Earlier, the idea was to create options through the net. Now, we have to expand options and reduce time. And swayamvars are the way to go,” says Omprakash Hassanandani, business head, Shaadi Point. Adds Uday Zokarkar of Bharat Matrimony: “We continue to explore new mediums. Besides the strong online and offline models, matrimony meets enable families to interact directly.”
Shaadi Point claims their swayamvars have a success rate of 72.5 per cent. The predominant role of caste in Indian matrimony has prompted the online players to look at community swayamvars too. In the last six months, Bharat Matrimony organised community matrimonial meets in 12 cities. “Demands are so specific, that we had to organise a swayamvar for the Arya Vaisya community in Tirupati and another for the Marwari community in Madhya Pradesh,” says Zokarkar.
“After failing to get the right bride through other channels, I am looking forward to a Tamil Iyengar community swayamvar,” says PA Narrendiran, a public relations manager in Chennai. So, are we witnessing the return of matrimony from the virtual to the real world? “Swayamvars complement online services. While youngsters still use online services, parents prefer swayamvars,” says Hassanandani.
D Senthilnathan, CEO of Chennai-based Alliance Bureau Company (ABC), says swayamvarams also help parents see the real choices and limitations.
“These present a cross section of available brides and grooms. They make the parents’ decision easier, shedding unrealistic hopes and inhibitions,” says Senthilnathan, who plans to take swayamvarams to the rural areas soon.
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