Indian Girl’s Marriage CV Goes Viral

Indhuja Pillai has become a poster girl for thousands of Indian women after posting an advert on a matrimonial site saying she was a tomboy, wore glasses and sought a man who did not want children.

When Pillai’s parents posted a “groom wanted” advert on a matrimonial site, they thought they would find a nice husband for their only daughter, instead they found she had become a poster girl for thousands of young Indian women who yearn to rebel against arranged marriages and make their own lives.

She posted her own advertisement – which has since gone viral – in which she described herself as a “speccy dork” and tomboy searching for a beardy macho man who does not like children and is not close to his family.

NO LONG HAIR

The brilliantly honest profile reads: “I’m not a drinker and I hate smoking. An eggitarian, not a foodie. I play badminton, sing and dance. I wear glasses and look dorky in them. Not a spendthrift or a shopaholic. Detest masala & drama, not a TV fan. I don’t read. Friendly but I don’t prefer friendship. NOT a womanly woman. Definitely not marriage material. Won’t grow long hair, ever. I come with a life-long guarantee and I commit for life.”

Indhuja, who works for a travel start-up called Tripigator, also outlined what she was looking for on the CV, which includes a photo of her sitting in a tree wearing jeans and thongs.

“A man, preferably bearded, who is passionate about seeing the world. Someone who earns for himself and does NOT hate his job. Must be flexible with his parents, also means, it’s better if he is NOT a family guy. Extra points to the one who hates kids. Points for a great voice and an impressive personality. Should be able to hold a conversation for at least 30 minutes.”

ARRANGED MARRIAGES

The web page then advises keen suitors to have a re-think. “People want to survive, I want to live,” reads the page in large letters.

When Indhuja told her parents what she was doing, they were nervous. Then, the messages began to pour in. Her profile had struck a chord with many readers who had similar feelings over their expected arranged marriages, or who dreamed of meeting someone as free-spirited as her. Many told her to go with her instincts and wait to get married.

She was also inundated with date offers on Facebook, twitter and her blog, but says she isn’t really looking for more than friendship at the moment.

Her advert was seen as a war cry on behalf of young Indian women, most of whom are still expected to marry a man their parents choose and be a housewife with no ambition of their own.

Most are expected to live with their husband’s family, be dutiful to his mother and bear him sons.

GANG RAPE

It emerged amid the outcry over the comments of one of the men sentenced to death for the 2013 gang rape and murder of a Delhi student who said she was to blame for her own death.

“A decent girl won’t roam around at 9 o’clock at night. A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy. Boy and girl are not equal. Housework and housekeeping is for girls, not roaming in discos and bars at night doing wrong things, wearing wrong clothes.

"About 20 per cent of girls are good,” Mukesh Singh said of Jyoti Singh, the 23-year-old physiotherapy student he and five others raped and killed in an interview with the BBC.

His comments caused dismay but not surprise in India where women still face sexual violence and intimidation despite the national soul-searching which followed Jyoti Singh’s murder.

Source: Daily Mail and The Telegraph