Groom Fair: A Place Where You Can Buy Yourself a Husband (14 photos)

Now I'll tell you about one of the oldest marriage markets, which has been successfully operating for over 700 years in the vastness of amazing and mysterious India.





This market is located in the east, in the province of Bihar, and it is there, in the cradle of Buddhism and Jainism, that women and girls from all over the country flock every year. Accompanied by their sisters and mothers, these seekers of happiness arrive at the local market in the Madhubani district with one single goal: to choose a husband. But not just choose... but to buy.



A girl, her brother, and her mother arrived at the "marriage fair." Source: Ismat Ara/Al Jazeera

Women know their worth, so they don't grab the first bachelor they come across, even if they really want one. Since only wealthy women come to the Marriage Market, they have corresponding demands on potential husbands.





Men at the "groom fair." Source: Ismat Ara/Al Jazeera

Firstly, age is important – the younger the man, the better. Secondly, his education and profession. Engineers, doctors, and civil servants are the most favored by brides. In short, anyone who can earn a decent living and is considered a respected member of society. And thirdly, of course, good looks are important – although this isn't so important.



Men at the "marriage fair." Source: orissapost.com

Every year, thousands of men flock to the market in the Madhubani district of Bihar, waiting for the one who will choose them from a vast number of suitors and take them away to their wonderful land…



"Marriage Fair." Source: jagran.com

But, in fact, what's impressive about all this isn't the sheer scale of the event or the men's willingness to surrender themselves "into the good hands" of their future wives, but the fact that this marriage market was supposedly founded more than seven centuries ago by Raja Hari Singh of the Karnataka dynasty!



"Groom Fair." Source: jagran.com

The market was called Saurat Mela or Sabhagachhi and was designed to make it easier for Indian women to find husbands. Since this event brought together men from completely different social strata, the "selection" of grooms automatically increased several times over. Take your pick, so to speak...



Men at the "groom fair." Source: orissapost.com

Interestingly, the "groom fair" in Bihar was never formal. That's how you imagine a market, that's what it was like – the only thing missing was the grooms sitting on the stalls. But here, the selection is wide, the prices varied, the noise and hubbub – just like a real bazaar!



Men at a "groom fair." Source: Ismat Ara/Al Jazeera

The "price" of each groom, by the way, was, and still is, determined by his education, family background, and personal qualities. Every man at the market must have a certain set of documents, which most often includes a birth certificate, school certificate, and, if applicable, a diploma.



A man arriving at the fair. Source: Ismat Ara/Al Jazeera

These documents are presented by a potential groom to his bride if she is interested in him and wants to see paper evidence of his achievements. To the average person, this all sounds a bit outlandish – as if a woman isn't choosing a husband, but rather a pedigree puppy at a "bird market," and someone wants to foist a mongrel on her. Well, that's it...



Example of a groom's diploma. Source: licdn.com

On the other hand, maybe it's even better this way, no surprises in family life – like, you saw what you were getting. And here I beg to differ. Even though a girl comes to the "marriage fair" with the specific intention of finding and buying a husband, the final say still rests with her parents.



The bride's parents. Source: pexels.com

After all, they are the ones providing the dowry, so they can dictate the terms. And parents, more often than not, aren't particularly interested in their daughter's opinion. They're looking for the perfect balance between accessibility and a convincing resume.



Discussing the details of a future marriage. Source: henewsmill.com

Understandably, time moves on, and many modern Indians consider "marriage markets" a relic of the past, which is why its popularity has, so to speak, waned somewhat, but not completely disappeared.



Indian Men. Source: Brett Cole

Single men, hoping to meet their one and only husband, flock to Bihar from all over the country, traveling great distances. And luck, as you can imagine, smiles on a few…



Indian Men. Source: Brett Cole