Relationship take work, and that’s even before you have a partner. We’re talking about the effort of finding someone to be in a relationship with, in the first place. As another matrimonial advertisement makes its rounds on the Internet collecting eye rolls, laughs and criticism for specifications that begin with birth date and move on to height range, job profiles and more, Bengaluru-based Radhika Mohta, matchmaker and relationship coach who teaches a course on dating reminds us that quantitative metrics won’t guarantee a happy relationship. She adds, “Even if a 100-point checklist is met, who can say that the person would make a good and active partner, be emotionally stable and respectful? You can only get what you want, with all the filters, on Amazon, because people don’t come in packages.” So what makes for an ideal matrimonial ad? This comes down to what we should be looking for in a partner.

Radhika Mohta