Bharat Matrimony, India’s largest matrimony portal kicked off the idea of ‘Matrimony Day’. April 14th is observed as Matrimony Day, a day dedicated to encourage people to get married and experience the joys of relationships. In addition, it also provides an opportunity for married couples to share moments of togetherness.
Murugavel Janakiraman, CEO of Bharat Matrimony gets chatty with Yahoo! Lifestyle on the trends, success rates and idea behind Matrimony Day.How did this initiative come about and when?
The concept has been in the picture for over 4 years now. With the development in trends and technology, the concept of marriage has undergone a huge metamorphosis. So, the idea behind Matrimony day was to throw light on the customs and traditions of our country and thereby marriage on a larger picture.
Any reasons why April 14th was chosen as the date for Matrimony day?
Bharat Matrimony was born on 14th April. Moreover, it is considered an auspicious day for South Indians. Hence the same date was chosen to celebrate yet another initiative.
What is Matrimony day trying to propagate?
The main aim of Matrimony day is to celebrate the magic of marriage. A successful marriage in turn leads to a successful society. One can enjoy wealth, position or power only if he has a happy family. This is the main aspect we are trying to propagate through Matrimony day!
What are the trends in marriage in our country today? Has Bharat Matrimony done specific researches?
Yes we have done and are continuing to do a lot of researches even today. One main observation I have personally done is that marriage does carry the same value or interest as it did 20 years ago. Today, career, wealth and qualification have become a priority not only among men, but also the women folk. This in turn results in delayed marriages, as the settlement factor over-rules the whole concept.
According to your database, would you be able to tell us what is the age group when couples are thinking seriously of getting married?
As far as our company has analyzed, men feel 27-29 is when they can seriously start thinking of marriage. Women on the other hand are ready to wait till 26.
How are trends different in the tier-2 cities and in the metros?
Undoubtedly people in the metro have a broader exposure, which in turn increases the terms and conditions they put forth for the marriage. They are more specific about qualification, income and job security. Two-tier cities are still in the process of development. The specifications they have and the trends they follow are simpler than the people in the metros.
What are your findings about women? Are women placing ads themselves, or are parents and guardians still doing it for them?
Women have traveled a long way since 90’s. Today, every woman is independent and has a life of her own. Matrimony is just one of the options for groom hunting. So, women are confident enough to upload their own profile and keep track of the same. Gone are the days when parents would hunt for a groom for their daughter. Today, it has become an open affair.
How is matchmaking in the internet space doing? What is success rate of marriages fixed in the internet space?
With the advent of internet and technology, online portals for bride/groom hunting and match making have become industries of their own. According to our internet data 10% of the people enrolled in matrimony sites get married through the same.
With the changing trends, where Gen Y are trying to find their own life partners, why do you think people look up to matrimony sites?
Despite love marriages being the trend, there are a few who still believe in the traditional method of matching horoscopes. Matrimony is an easy gateway for these people. They also have the advantage of setting their priorities in terms of qualification, looks and status. The icing on the cake is the credibility factor which has grown with time and experience.
What were the challenges you faced? How did you manage to build the trust on online marriages?
We did face challenges initially. Trust was established with time. But we also have 3 main factors which are responsible for our success today.
1. We do not make photo sharing compulsory on our site. Members can have a password and lock their photos, thereby making it visible only for the prospective bride or groom.
2. Phone numbers of profile holders is compulsory. We have made this compulsory so that there is more credibility and direct contact can be established between interested parties.
3. Lastly, Bharat Matrimony has over 150 outlets across India. Physical presence indeed makes a huge difference to the members.