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The Internet revolution has changed destinies in India. Ever since the email industry boomed, life in the Indian family has not been the same at all. Gone are the days when we used to wait for the good old Postman. We no more sing in Rajesh Khanna style “Dakiya daak laaya” but dance round the PC humming dekho mera email ayaa. Thanks to the new technology, we get information in real time, at least that is what we would like to believe. However, it isn’t that simple. It has pushed the older generation, especially the older women folk to learn to write and type in English. Further more, when people talk about security and privacy on the Internet, it has entirely a different meaning in India.
Consider the following scenario. Baburam from Texas sends an email to Balaji in Madras. The two of them used to be neighbors in Madras.
Dear Balaji,
I need a kind favor from you. Please take a print out of this email and convey this message to amma. I have seen boy for small sister. Good job and Good boy. No drinking and no smoking, says subrabhatham every morning and reads Gayatri mantram without fail. He is in the USA for last five years, and still not eating non-vegetarian. Please send Rani’s photograph via email immediately. (Don’t worry amma, Balaji will help you, just give him Rani’s nice photo). Boy is coming to Madras after Christmas. (No no! they are not Christians but b’coz tickets are cheaper). If boy likes Rani’s photo, his family will contact you. I have already spoken about marriageable small sister to the boy. Please be prepared, he is a good boy from good family, just like us only. P.S. I tried to call you on Sunday, but I did not get the telephone line. Please do needful immediately.
Yours lovingly,
Baburam
That evening after his office, the email in hand, Balaji visits his neighbor’s house thinking about Rani, “If only Rani waited for one more year then, I can only take her to the USA. Boss has agreed to send me after this stupid project gets over. I hope the boy doesn’t like the photo”. He gets a wicked idea. Meanwhile, Rani’s mom eagerly reads the email. Brimming with joy she yells at Rani to bring coffee for Balaji. Balaji’s mom reads English but cannot write in English. So she dictates a letter in Tamil, which Balaji has to scan and send it across as an image file. “You are such a good boy,” she tells Balaji.
‘Then, why can’t I get married to Rani?’ he’s thinking, ‘just because the boy is in USA and she also wants to visit America when the grandchild is born. Just because opposite house Rama-maami went last year, she also wants to go’. Aloud he says “nice coffee, thank you very much, I will scan the photo and send to Babu”. “Ayyayyo! don’t caan-geen photo but send email only immediately, come home in the evening tomorrow for coffee” says Rani’s mom. The next morning in the office, Balaji scans the photograph and sends it across to Baburam. But not before altering the skin color of Rani (Thanks to Adobe Photoshop) he makes Rani appear really very dark, almost the same as his complexion. The following year Rani is in the USA on H4 visa. Needless to say Balaji married Rani. He is now thinking of bringing Rani’s mom to San Jose, where he is currently working on another stupid project.
Didn’t I tell you before, the Internet has changed destinies in India.
More articles by Joy Mantra
- Naming your Baby
- Life of a dependent visa holder
- Romancing the table
- To be or not to be
- Desi Devi's Quest for Romance
- Balaji takes control of Rani’s fate through email
- Desi Devi's Quest for Romance
- Returning Home to India?
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