Hor(r)o(r)scopes

A prospective Hindu bride (groom) is bound to have faced this "Horror" term atleast when she's (he's) in India. God knows what's in store for the couple who might not know each other by face, but their birth stars are always there to decide their fate! Doesn't matter if you are getting married to a martian from neighbouring solar system, you should wriggle through the compatibility check on the computer first (Thinking... which moon sign would Martians consider? Does Mars in that solar system has single moon? What if no? ). Man, we are living in the 21st century for sure!

With bride's parents keen on getting the agreement signed off at competitive prices, grooms, like IT jobs out there are negotiating best deals and fixing prices for their lives. Under any case, there are the astrologers who derive pleasure in predicting scariest possible consequences and link it to our sun/moon signs (wonder what is wrong with poor Earth, which lets Sun or Moon focus on us at that gory hour) and of course with a ready plan of action (named Prayaschiththam - as if they stop the rotation and let the Sun or Moon focus on the 23 and 1/2 deg latitude crossing 82 and 1/2 degree longitude - allright, now. Stop sneering! - within a radius of 300 kms). Some go to such extremes that they say your life's documented already by a revered sage and they'll give you that if you pay X (a 2-3 digit number decided based on demand-supply curve) bucks!

With more than a billion plus residents, Match making business in India can be considered a promising area where if not for extensive research atleast a full time course in the top management institutes is definitely worth the investment. Just think about an MSA - Masters in Superstitious Astrology or a PGDM - Post Graduate Diploma in Marriage/Match - (thereby) Money - making from a premier university!

Here's a piece of advice: If you can't runaway and get married at Uncle Sam's, be prepared.