The dawn of the internet age has been a boon for millions around the world. Not only has it become so much easier to conduct business, get educated, get a job and be in touch with friends; but it has most importantly had a tremendously positive influence in facilitating the possibility of two people meeting, getting to know each other and eventually tying the knot.

How technology fits into the Indian Traditional System-

Especially in countries like India, where arranged marriages have been a common occurrence over the years, the internet has played a significant role in allowing the system to make positive use of modern technology for social and personal benefit.

Indian matrimonial portals have especially benefited that sect of Indians who typically found it difficult to find life partners through conventional mediums. For example, because of the increasing number of reliable matrimonial portals on the internet, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of Manglik matrimonies.

This has occurred not only due to increase in awareness levels due to all the information that is now available on the World Wide Web, but also because Manglik brides and grooms are able to easily interact with other Manglik prospective without the worry of falling prey to any taboo or tradition and ensuring that they are able to take their relationship to the eventual and blissful Manglik matrimony.

Increase in Awareness Levels

Going back to a point we touched earlier, in addition to the easy access that parents, relatives and prospective brides and grooms have to thousands of databases of other interested parties that reside in all parts of the world, the simple function of the internet to provide access to a lot more information that is accurate results in awareness levels among traditional Indians who are able to take off the burden of blind faith and understand their astrological conditions before they assume their marital fate.

A Manglik matrimony has chances of success as much as any other kind of marriage and with the help of modern tools and technology one is able to ensure lifelong marital bliss with great ease.

For many years now, Indian women have been seen wearing vermilion, traditionally known as sindoor along the parting of their hairline. This has become synonymous with marriage and every time one sees a woman adorned with sindoor on her head, it is evident that she is someone’s lawfully wedded wife.

What is the Significance of Vermillion a.k.a Sindoor in the Indian Matrimonial System?

This red coloured powder is more than just so and has come to gain tremendous significance in the Indian matrimonial system. The traditional Hindu society gives tremendous importance to sindoor as a sign of a married woman. It is considered to be a visual representation of their prayer for a long life for their husbands. Not only is it an extremely auspicious element- one of the 16 “shringaars” – which a married woman adorns from the day she ties the knot; but this red powder also communicates to the world that she is under the protection of her beloved, her husband, her life partner.
Married women in India take pride in adorning this on their heads and are more than happy to show it off to their world around them. At the same time, the less fortunate widows are not permitted to wear sindoor after the death of their life partners.

What the Sindoor Truly Stands For-

Red represents love and happiness not only in India but more or less in every part of the world. Every Indian bride is made to wear this colour on the day of her matrimonial. She holds great bride in wearing the sindoor which enhances the entire elegance and beauty of a married woman.

The first time a woman ever wears sindoor in her life is on the day of her matrimonial, when it is applied by her husband during the ceremony. This is quintessentially at the end of the rituals and commonly marks the end of the ceremonial procedures. It is in a way, announcing that the bride and groom are now wedded.

Simple application of the sindoor is known to have a magical effect on the elegance and beauty of a new bride. Most women choose to apply it on a daily basis as a constant reminder of their undying love for their husbands.

Overcoming the Pressures of Making the Right Intention

It is understandable that this could put a lot of pressure on yourself since you would also be focusing on making the right impression. At the same time, you must make sure that the stress of the situation does not hold you back from striking an interesting conversation so that you can actually gauge the opposite persons intentions and qualities.

Here are a few topics you can bring up while you are meeting someone for the purpose of an India Matrimony-

1. With a number of resources at hand to conduct a background check on the person through social networking profiles, you could look up some of his or her interests and try to get to know a little more about the person through that.

2. If you are told that the person is into sports, talk about his or her interests and you will be able to gauge his level of commitment, dedication and passion.

3. Try to keep the conversation as casual as possible so that you are able to be yourself and also make sure that the prospective bride or groom is also comfortable around you.

4. Bringing up informal conversations with respect to movies, music, books, likes, dislikes can tell you enough about the person in the first meeting to gauge whether or not you would like to meet this person again.

The idea is to make sure that you do not succumb from the pressures of making an impression and try to be yourself as much as possible. The more comfortable you are the easier it will be for you to engage with the opposite person and make the right decision.

There are hundreds and thousands of Indian women who aspire to meet their prince charming through Indian matrimonial sites. Before you get carried away with all the possibilities offered to you through these portals, it is important for every woman who chooses to register on these websites to be wary of cheats and fraudsters on these websites.

Increasing Number of Complaints

With more and more women making complaints over men befriending unsuspecting women through these portals and eventually cheating them, it is crucial that you are conscious about the website you choose to sign up on and look out for those signs that will help protect yourself from such fraudulent profiles and ensure a positive experience on these Indian matrimonial sites.

Looking out for yourself on Marriage Portals

To ensure that you are able to make the most of your time on a marriage portal, it is important that you are a little careful about the areas you tread into and the type of people you interact with. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself from fraudsters on these portals –

1. Before you give away personal information on Indian matrimonial websites, it is important for you to verify whether or not the website in hand is reliable and also check the type of people who register there.

2. Do not initiate sharing of information with any member of the website, unless you are completely sure they are who they claim to be. Before giving away more information about yourself, try to gather more information about the opposite party, try to remove references and get your family members and relatives involved if need be.

3. While you are registering with a website, remember to take some time to go through their privacy policy and their regulations with respect to how they chose to protect your information.

4. Do not get carried away with the talks of other people you interact with on the website and try to not meet a potential life partner all by yourself for the first time.

If you are a little careful about how you conduct yourself on a marriage portal, you are bound to have a pleasant experience and find yourself the ideal partner for life.

A basic research shows that there are surprisingly similar figures involved in the user segment of social networking websites and Indian matrimonial portals. While the Indian social media segment has an active user group aged 14 o 30 years of age, the most active members belong to the age group of 16 and 24 years.

The Objective

While the main motive behind logging on the these websites is leverage cheap and accessible options to stay connected with friends, evidently the online Indian matrimonial segment has been able to develop its own set of niche clients who log on for an entirely different purpose.

Motivation to Log On

Online matrimonial portals typically cater to an age group ranging between 18 and 40 year olds, their objectives are far more defined. A major factor which sets apart social networking portals from match making website is that once the purpose of the user on a match making portal is solved, there is no reason for them to come back and log into their profile.

Reliability of User Information

Another major factor that discriminates both these platforms is the simple truth that users tend not to lie too much on match making websites, whereas the information they update on social networking platforms tend to be exaggerated many times.

Adherence to Indian Traditions

The fact of the matter is that social networking portals such as Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter will never be able to replace the concept of Indian matrimonial portals, simply because the match making portals have been able to integrate a number of culture specific features into their interfaces which entirely lack in the more mass social media platforms.

Match making websites help integrate easy involvement of families and societies into the system This, isn’t possible on social platforms.

The largest segment that has been able to optimize the benefits of match making portals is the NRI segment which does not reside within the country but is looking to find a life partner from their home land. These portals enhance connectivity and provide opportunities for NRI’s residing in all parts of the world to find for themselves marital bliss with a click of their mouse.

With the world becoming a smaller place and with the ever growing opportunities of young boys and girls befriending other young boys and girls belonging to all kinds of ethnicities, casts and creeds; there is a growing incidence of interracial matrimonial. While from a traditional perspective, there are still a large number of people in India and around the world who frown upon interracial marriages. At the same time, there are more open minded families who are more than happy to welcome into their family brides or grooms who belong to different parts of the country or even the world.

Having said that, there is also no denying that maintaining a harmonious interracial matrimonial can be somewhat of a challenge. Typically, inter-cast marriages have equal chances to be successful and harmonious as any other union which is between two people belonging to the same ethnic background; factors such as religious beliefs, up-bringing and attitudes can differ at many levels.

Whether or you’re your marriage will go through any kind of additional stress as compared to other marriages is largely dependent on how you and you marital partner opt to treat the situation as well as the type of support of pressure your families put on you.

1.      At all times remember not to let what other people feel about your relationship with your spouse come in the way of your matrimonial relationship.

2.      It is important to always exhibit mutual respect for each other as well as the other person’s culture and belief system no matter how different it is from your own.

3.      Work as a team at all times and look at having mature and thoughtful discussions which are solution based instead of converting a conversation into a fight then a blame game.

4.      It is important that you are realistic about your differences at all times and learn how to focus on the things that you have in common and strengthen them.

At the same time, it is wrong to assume that every problem that your marriage is facing is due to the racial discrepancy. Remember to give your marriage a mature consideration and approach and you are bound to live a blissful and happy life together.

All of us spend a major part of our lives looking for that perfect love which will tend for us, take care of us, give us comfort and jointly help make sure that you life a life of happiness, harmony and complete bliss. What most people tend not to realize is that to be able to achieve this requires a lot of hard work and effort.

For the purpose of finding the perfect life partner, simply registering with a matrimonial website is not enough. In fact it is just the beginning. When you register with a matrimonial website, you should first have complete clarity on what it is exactly that you are expecting out of your own life as well as from your life partner. Let’s go through these ideas which will help you find the perfect spouse for you online –

1. Any online matrimonial website is going to give you access to thousands of profiles of prospective brides and grooms. How would you recognize the perfect match for yourself? To begin with, it is important for you have a fair idea as to what you want him or her to be like. Each individual has their own set of ideas when it comes to the ‘perfect love’. Try to make your judgment on factors such as likes, dislikes, goals in life, ideas, attitudes and belief systems.

2. Every time you interact with a potential life partner from the website, try to mental cross of these items from the list and tally the areas where you are compatible and where you aren’t to make an unbiased an informed decision.

3. However exciting it may sound to have a life partner who is extremely good looking or rich, the fact of the matter is that it is the non-materialistic things that will help you create a strong and long lasting marriage.

In addition to gauging what you want out of your life partner, also remember to have a fair idea of what you expect out of your relationship. Through the conversations you have with him or her try to gauge whether or not he or she will be able to fulfill those needs. It is important to be realistic and also remember that every relationship is a two way street. You get as much as you give.

To be able to pull off a destination wedding, it is important that you hire a professional wedding planner who will guide you through all the important and smaller decisions that need to be taken. Here is a list of some of the most popular destination wedding spots in India -

1. Goa

Goa is without doubt on the top of the list of popular destination wedding spots. Indians and foreigners alike absolutely love the entire experience of tying the knot in this beach state. Almost all of the many luxury hotels that exist here offer some great options in helping you create the perfect setting for your big day. With the correct licenses and permits, you can also choose to get married on the beach.

2. Jaipur

Moving further north, the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur offers numerous opportunities for those who wish to experience a traditional Rajasthani wedding. With a large diversity in the wedding venues, you can pick the scale of your event and create a magical and royal set up for yourself and your guests.

From old mansions, to palaces and privately run luxury hotels; you can pick from some exquisite options. This city offers ample opportunity for you to conduct a traditional Indian matrimonial. Research some of their popular wedding venues and you will realize how easy it is to create the perfect romantic atmosphere for your wedding day.

3. Udaipur

Another very popular destination in the state of Rajasthan, this city is extremely popular for its lakes and palaces. The charming city of Udaipur offers some royal, historical as well as modern wedding venues which can be easily converted into the perfect fairy tale setting that you have always dreamed off.
Home to some of the best palace hotels in the world, this city has something to offer all kinds of brides and grooms.

4. Jodhpur

Yet another classic destination to choose from, Jodhpur is home to Umaid Bhavan Palace hotel which overlooks the ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur from a Hill top. This modern day palace offers all the royalty with all the amenities and infrastructure of a modern home. With the royal family still occupying a section of this grand palace, this makes for an exquisite location for you and your life partner to say the “I Do’s”.

5. Kerala

The state of Kerala offers an interesting array of wedding venues where you can wed amidst the tropical environment. Kumarakom and Alleppey present to you the gorgeous backwaters of Kerala, where you can wed in traditional South Indian style.

For those with a not so extensive wedding budget, there are a vast number of locations to choose from which offer the same scenic setting and environment that helps create the perfect setting for your wedding day.

Indian weddings have been made popular around the world because of cinema and bollywood which appropriately portray them with all the grandeur and festivities. Besides that, with all the different casts and creeds that reside within the country, there are a number of different methods and ceremonies that are followed by people from different backgrounds.

Who are the Kayasthas?

Kayasthas are considered to be a sub-sect of the Brahmin cast and are commonly found in the northern parts of India. They are referred to the writing caste and worship Lord Chitragupta, whose temples incidentally are found in down south especially in Kanchipuram.

This cast mainly follows the same system of marriage irrespective of where they reside, with a small influence of the local traditions and rituals. Like other Brahmin sub-castes, they too prefer to marry within their own sect.

What to Expect in a Kayastha Matrimonial Ceremony

A Kayastha wedding ceremony is typically consists of the following events.

1. The Bariksha is a ceremony that represents that the girl and the boy accept each other’s proposal of marriage. This ritual is completed with the girls family presents the boy with a silver bowl of rice, supari, turmeric powder and money as blessings.

2. The Sagai, which is the engagement ceremony, involves the exchange of the engagement rings between the bride and the groom to be. Here, it is the family of the groom visits the home of the girl with gifts, dresses and jewellery for the bride.

3. The Haldi ceremony takes place in both houses for the girl and the boy. This event signifies the purification of the soul and a blissful beginning of a new life.

4. The Tilak ceremony is a lot like the Sagai but it is the bride’s family presenting all the gifts to the groom.

5. The Mehendi is an event celebrated much closer to the day to the wedding, where henna is applied in beautiful design forms on the bride, close family, relatives and friends. What is unique about a Kayastha matrimonial is that henna is applied on the hands of the groom also.

These events are followed by the primary events of the wedding, bidai and reception which is a modern take on presenting the newly wedded couple to family, friends and loved ones.

As per the cast system that has been followed in India for over a thousand years, Brahmins are considered to be on the top of the hierarchy, followed by Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Even though this system is not necessarily followed as strictly in today’s day and age, many people are still particular about making sure that they at least marry into the same caste as far as possible.

Indian Weddings

On the other hand, it is a known fact that Indian marriages are like festivals; celebrated with great pomp and joy. A marriage is considered to be among the most important celebrations in a family and tend to get pretty extravagant with all the colours, music, dance, food and events which span over multiple days.

Brahmin Matrimonial ceremonies follow their own set of rituals and traditions while keeping up with the Indian enthusiasm of celebrations.

Rituals and Customs in a Brahmin Matrimonial

A quintessential Brahmin wedding ceremony is characteristic of very elaborate customs that consist of ceremonies such as the Engagement, Jaimala, Pheras, Kanyadaan and Bidai. India being a very vast, diverse and secular country means that even within a particular cast, there are derivations as to how certain traditions and rituals are followed in different parts.

For example, there is a vast difference in the wedding ceremonies conducted in South India and North India in spite of many people belonging to the same cast.

Finding the Right Partner

Like other communities, Brahmin Matrimonial community is very possessive and conscious about the caste in which their sons and daughters marry into. Back in the days, it was the heads of the family or community that decided what would make a suitable matrimonial union. This was done by taking into consideration a number of factors such as familial background, ethnicity, caste, status, education etc.

Today, with the cultures opening up a little more, brides and grooms have the freedom to find their own life partners. The use of technology and the internet facilitates the possibility of finding Brahmin brides and grooms from all parts of the world.