We have all become so used to criticising matrimonial sites for their blatant commercialisation of marriage (even as we use these sites), that when shaadi.com came out with a dowry calculator, there were collective sounds of disgust made. Was shaadi.com openly promoting dowry? Had they really not heard of dowry deaths or the law for that matter?
“What else can we expect from a matrimonial site?” exclaimed a friend.
‘What else can we expect’…. How about we expect a campaign against dowry deaths? Because this dowry calculator seems to be the perfect answer to all those ‘culturally entrenched’ people out there who still demand dowry, only more slyly today.
Here’s what happens when you try out the dowry calculator. A man appears on screen and you get to input your qualifications under the following categories. The graphic image of the man changes according to the inputs you give. Type in engineer and out pops a mustachioed man wearing a hard hat (because that’s what engineers do apparently.)
What happens when you click Calculate Dowry Amount? A dowry seeker using this application is probably already mentally imagining the shower of refrigerators, cars, jewellery and money that he thinks he is entitled to. He will be disappointed.
Instead a slot machine calculator appears on the screen and the numbers keep changing until it settles on the number 91202. Dowry seekers who are disappointed at this number will be even more disappointed when they see what appears next on the screen.
Now we all know how difficult it is to change the mentality of society when it comes to this. Very likely, a prospective dowry seeker will simply be irritated that shaadi.com wasted his time. It’s also equally likely that by bringing out this fun application (fun for us), the matrimonial site has alienated many of its traditional clientele.
But the fact that the brand is willing to risk all that to put forth a message is laudatory. So kudos to shaadi.com for that! Bet you never thought a matrimonial site could be this cool eh?
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