Shaliniji, What were some good things about old-time matchmakers/matchmaking that are lost in today's dating world?
Ans: Interesting question – The process of Indian matchmaking has changed significantly in recent years. With the advent of online dating and matrimonial websites, the process has become more streamlined and efficient. However, there are still some key differences between the way Indian matchmaking works today and the way it used to work in the past.
In earlier days, the process of matchmaking was much more family-oriented. Families would introduce themselves to each other, and would then decide whether or not they wanted the families to get in a union. Today, more and more people are finding their own partners, either through online dating websites or through mutual friends and even if its via the families, they have a say in the decision.
Another significant change is the role of gender in the matchmaking process. In the past, it was quite common for the woman to be completely subordinate to the man, both in terms of education and in terms of work. Today, however, there are many marriages in which the woman is more educated and/or earns more than the man. This is a reflection of the changing times and the fact that women are now playing a more active role in the matchmaking process.
Earlier, marriages were arranged by families, and individuals were expected to get married in their early 20s. However, over the last decade or so, this has changed quite dramatically. Families are now taking the consent of the individuals before pushing them ahead with the marriage.
Divorce as a word was a huge taboo earlier – it is still viewed with raised eyebrows, having said this, individuals are opting for it if its not a healthy relationship, knowing that they live once. With more and more people becoming independent and financially stable, they are viewing marriage as a partnership rather than a burden.
In general, Indian Matchmaking has become more progressive and open-minded, and we can only hope that it continues to change for the better.