Matrimonial advertisements are essential to your newspaper that you often indulge in with your morning cup of tea. This also means that they’re essential to your mornings, and if there’s one thing that we have learned after going through so many matrimonial advertisements over the years, then it has to be that we as a nation are obsessed with deep-pocketed men and fair and slim women. So much for choosing the right partner and family for your kids through these advertisements.
However, almost everything that you have read and intentionally ignored over the years, can never equal to this particular matrimonial advertisement, titled – Young Achievers Matrimony Advertisement. While others either seek a bride or groom from a well-respected family, this one aims at totally different strata of our society, and that is, families with tons of money.
The idea has been put forth by a matrimonial agency in Bengaluru that advertises on the idea of bringing some of the most influential families in the country together, all for getting their kids or themselves married. But not everyone can get in, one needs to be ultra rich, alumni of institutes like IIT and IIM and successful, as for the women, they need to be beautiful. Yes, they need to either be just beautiful to get in here or they need to be beautiful on top of all of this, to be part of this swayamwar-esque event.
This sanskaari bourgeois banquet has an attendance fee of Rs. 10000 to 25000 for a luxurious VEG. lunch and high tea.
If you are as much mind-boggled about the news as we are, then trust us, we both are not alone on this ship. Netizens from all over the country have come together to collectively laugh at this absurdity and some have even raised some important questions about the entire Young Achievers Matrimony Advertisement.
Here are some reactions to this illogical matrimony advertisement.
See, Mr. & Mrs. Sreeram of Young Achievers Matrimony @YMatrimony understand your status in society.
But you better be "ultra rich", or "beautiful girl" to get anywhere near this vile, disgusting clique.@IndianAtheists @FeminismInIndia pic.twitter.com/CvqmNcIcL6
— Nirmukta 🌈 (@Nirmukta) July 25, 2018
It's 2018 and there's a young achievers matrimony meet that promises beautiful girls. This whole thing is regressive on so many counts. pic.twitter.com/qgp8qAXMsZ
— Nandita Iyer (@saffrontrail) July 25, 2018
Young achievers matrimony meet.
Achievements include successful entrepreneurship, entry into elite universities… or for women, just being beautiful.
(Pic stolen from @KabirTaneja who is a young achiever himself). pic.twitter.com/h5aURz6cJB
— Siddharth Singh (@siddharth3) July 25, 2018
So apparently, being "beautiful" classifies as a "young achiever". There is always a bias towards girls (in matrimony industry) – but explicitly mentioning it like this – WEIRD & STUPID pic.twitter.com/P45j6HbKiO
— Harsh (@inditripper) July 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/iam_DrSanjana/status/1021996191805005824
Seriously bothered by this ad from this morning’s BLR Hindu… young achiever’s and “beautiful girls” … nothing against beauty, but why are women still being evaluated on just their beauty that too in a forum for matchmaking for young achiever’s- flummoxed!! pic.twitter.com/Rd6D1oAadA
— Debarati Sen (@1DebaratiSen) July 25, 2018
The grand National meet of young achievers’ Matrimony. Young achieves are Successful Entrepreneurs, IAS officers etc and Beautiful Girls pic.twitter.com/zcTpCAlYQX
— Veena Venugopal (@veenavenugopal) July 25, 2018
Another example of how #India treats its 'young women achievers'. Did 'Fair and Lovely' cream sponsor the event? Can someone tell me if these #beautifulgirls were entitled to the alcoholic 'welcome drinks'? #feminism #feminist #notskindeep #inequality https://t.co/wfj56equd9
— Nalini Singh (@nalinisingh111) July 26, 2018
Beautiful is all that women can achieve
— Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) July 25, 2018
This is outrageous! Young achievers need a separate Matrimony site and they will pick only beautiful girls. Which age are we living in?
— Swati Datye (@DatyeSwati) July 25, 2018
“Young achievers matrimony meet” appalled to see this #ad floating on social media. Who are the young achievers? Doctors #IITians #IIAMs. High net families? Is this a business deal or what? Worst still, this event is sold out! Good luck to marriages based on these qualifications! pic.twitter.com/YlZVx1TIJY
— Dr. Shruti Kapoor (She/Her) (@kapoors_s) July 25, 2018
How many different types of tacky & ignorant can you be?
Ad in leading Indian paper #TheHindu for an arranged matrimony meet at a top hotel #LeelaPalace Bangalore. Eligibility: people from high net worth families & young achievers. PS- "beautiful girls" count as young achievers! pic.twitter.com/8J1FvyuRNJ— Sharanya (@haridassharanya) July 26, 2018
In the end, anything can happen, some might actually find their soulmates and end up marrying each other all because of this event, however, no one can deny the fact that events like these perpetuate the risk of already prevalent casteism in the society. It is us just us and our generation that can bring the required change, which is why ads like these deserve no place in any kind of media around us anymore.
Jyotsna Amla