{"id":1542,"date":"2016-07-08T14:20:06","date_gmt":"2016-07-08T08:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jodi365.com\/singledout\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2021-07-05T14:57:55","modified_gmt":"2021-07-05T09:27:55","slug":"indian-matrimony-site-goes-beyond-religion-community-caste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jodi365.com\/singledout\/indian-matrimony-site-goes-beyond-religion-community-caste\/","title":{"rendered":"An Indian Matrimony Site that goes beyond religion, community, and caste"},"content":{"rendered":"“Is there any Indian matrimony site that doesn’t have this caste\/religion bull***t?” someone wondered. \u00a0Here’s my take on religion, community, and caste when it comes to matchmaking.\n\nFirst things first, though: I<\/i> wouldn’t refer to caste or religion as bullshit. \u00a0Yet, I can relate to how you feel.\n\nHere’s why: I was single for long and was painfully aware of the various matrimonial and dating sites out there. \u00a0It was a puke-inducing moment when I landed on the sign-up form of one of the leading Indian matrimony sites and hit a hurdle: I couldn’t proceed without indicating a caste! \u00a0I didn\u2019t mind that religion<\/i> was a required field, but if I indicated one of the major religions, then I was required <\/i>to specify a caste or sect, failing which I couldn’t proceed.\n\nI am not going to list that site here and give it\u00a0undue attention. \u00a0What surprises me, though, is that their registration form hasn’t changed, all these years later.\n\nCompanies take on the culture and values of their founders and early employees. \u00a0The same can be said about matchmaking sites. \u00a0As I went about<\/a> building a “refreshingly different” matchmaking site, Jodi365.com<\/a>, one of the things we chose to do differently was not to require that a community, caste, or sub-caste be specified.\n\n\"Jodi365.com\n\nNow, we do recognize that these may matter for people, proxies as they may be for cherished values, customs, traditions, and other norms of social behavior. \u00a0So, for those for whom community and caste matter, there is the option<\/i> of specifying them. \u00a0After all, as a matchmaking site that caters to educated Indian professionals worldwide (the featured image at the top is a recent snapshot showing where Jodi365’s visitors come from), we recognize that while socio-cultural background may matter in the search for a life partner, individuals may choose to define their cultural identity in ways other than religion, community, or caste. \u00a0For many, it could be their mother tongue or native language; for some others, ethnic or national origin; for yet others, it could be simply whether they\u00a0got <\/em>“When Harry Met Sally.”\n\n