HORESCOPE EXCHANGE CENTER

HOROSCOPE EXCHANGE CENTER


(Wanted bride for X- PGD in Industrial Management, Fair Clean habits- Job at WIPRO: Requirements Employed girls with BE/MCA, Age below 25, Good looking, good family background – Such advertisements are regular features in many leading Papers and Private Exchange Centers. Horoscope Exchange centers are very popular in Chennai and other metropolitan cities)


When I was seriously looking for a boy to my daughter the first thing I did was to get one printed form available in all places, filled it and sent to few matrimonial exchange bureaus. I promptly received few horoscopes. Like wise many people who are having sons or daughters of marriageable age approach these people and invariably it clicks.

Almost every Hindu marriage is settled on the basis of horoscope concurrence. In 50s and 60s individual person was handling this and he was paid handsome commission.
From 80s onwards full time people are involved and specialized centers are opened
exclusively for exchange of horoscopes. DOT.Com's also have come up. Computerized
horoscopes are very popular. Even Girls and boys exchange particulars and photos
through computer, discuss threadbare before tying the knots.

I met one of my friend who after retirement has entered in this field. He has opened big ledger like books A, B, C and State wise, Boys and girls horoscopes and kept all particulars of eligible boys and girls. A minimum registration fee is collected from clients and sends once in 15-days brief letter about boys and girls. From the list the parents have to select and their horoscopes are sent for matching. Further action is left with respective parents. He says as an average of 30-40 horoscopes are registered and about 30-40% cases alliances are getting settled.

If they are happy he is invited for the marriage and gets some presentation. More than this- wider contacts are established which are helpful to him. He says on an average of Rs.6000 to Rs.10, 000 he gets after meeting all the expenses. Apart from marriage alliances these people keep Xerox machines STD Booth and Stationary items to boost the income. Recently they have added Ice cream vending. If the Customer wants they act as agent for advertisement in leading Newspapers and magazines. A typical advertisement is like this:

Vadoolam vadagalai tiruvonam B.Com. ICWA final 23/153 cm Bank employed bride seeks professionally qualified fair grooms below 29 well settled at Chennai only vadagalai Box No. O43.

Another advertisement reads like this: Alliance invited from vadagalai non -bharadvajam bride for boy 27/167 thiruvadirai, Engineering graduate working in US. Reply with horoscope and family details to Box No.75.

The climate in this field has changed dramatically after the Information Technology
boom. Now both boys and girls are working abroad and both are earning well. Hence the
demand for people working abroad has got premium- they prefer alliances among them.
Recent survey shows that demand for brides have outstripped and girls have choice to
suit them unlike in earlier days. Another trend noticed is inter-caste marriages.

Nowadays these are very common. Previously marriage among widows or divorcees are very rare. The trend has changed. Today these Marriage bureaus help through advertisement. Personal counseling is very successful in such type of marriages. In general Matrimonial Bureaus are having good business. They act as contact men, counseling and middlemen.

Analysis:

In India arranged marriages are invariably done after horoscopes consultation and
matching. Majority of these marriages are successful. Even divorcees find good partners. Matrimonial bureaus have become part of our Society.

· One man shows.
· Should have pleasing personality.
· Reliable and respectful persons are preferred.
Of

R.Jagannathan.