<p>My aunt is a retired teacher, much loved by both her colleagues and students for her joyful and helpful nature. She couldn’t help but help others in need. So how could she not help her colleague, who was worried over her daughter not finding a suitable boy and her ‘marriageable age’ was passing. And that is unacceptable in our society. It is usually the girl’s fault.</p>.<p>But every problem has a solution, and my aunt also had a remedy. Register with a marriage broker? Wrong. It was to seek an astrologer’s advice. As luck would have it there was one just by the school. And thus was launched Mission Marriage.</p>.<p>The astrologer’s was a lavish office, with a section dedicated to precious gemstones. Seated with a laptop in an airconditioned office, the astrologer listened to the women with rapt attention, punched the details into his laptop and stared at the screen for a long time. Then turning his focus back to the ladies, he triumphantly told them that the marriage will be solemnised within a fortnight, if only they put a precious green-stone ring on the little finger of the girl. </p>.<p>Elated, my aunt and her colleague paid his fees and left his office, passing right by the sparkling gemstones worth thousands of rupees waiting to be bought. All they had heard was the ‘green-stone’ ring. On their way back home, they struck a bargain with a roadside hawker and bought not one but three rings for Rs 25–one with green stone and two with red. Just as the astrologer had recommended, the green ring promptly adorned the little finger of the young girl the very same evening.</p>.<p>And as if by miracle, the very next morning the girl’s parents received a proposal from a suitable boy! Lo and behold, the wedding was fixed within a week and solemnised within a fortnight as the groom had to fly back to the US! </p>.<p>Of course, my aunt and her colleague marched back into the astrologer’s office with their hearts full of gratitude and a box full of sweets. Far from being happy that his prediction came true, the astrologer wasn’t too pleased; in fact he was upset as the women had refused to take his hint and buy the expensive gemstone from his ‘exquisite’ collection. Unmindful of the astrologer’s discomfiture, they thanked him from the bottom of their hearts and perhaps left the astrologer upset and wondering about his business prospects if others came to know that a Rs 10 ring could do the miracle. </p>
<p>My aunt is a retired teacher, much loved by both her colleagues and students for her joyful and helpful nature. She couldn’t help but help others in need. So how could she not help her colleague, who was worried over her daughter not finding a suitable boy and her ‘marriageable age’ was passing. And that is unacceptable in our society. It is usually the girl’s fault.</p>.<p>But every problem has a solution, and my aunt also had a remedy. Register with a marriage broker? Wrong. It was to seek an astrologer’s advice. As luck would have it there was one just by the school. And thus was launched Mission Marriage.</p>.<p>The astrologer’s was a lavish office, with a section dedicated to precious gemstones. Seated with a laptop in an airconditioned office, the astrologer listened to the women with rapt attention, punched the details into his laptop and stared at the screen for a long time. Then turning his focus back to the ladies, he triumphantly told them that the marriage will be solemnised within a fortnight, if only they put a precious green-stone ring on the little finger of the girl. </p>.<p>Elated, my aunt and her colleague paid his fees and left his office, passing right by the sparkling gemstones worth thousands of rupees waiting to be bought. All they had heard was the ‘green-stone’ ring. On their way back home, they struck a bargain with a roadside hawker and bought not one but three rings for Rs 25–one with green stone and two with red. Just as the astrologer had recommended, the green ring promptly adorned the little finger of the young girl the very same evening.</p>.<p>And as if by miracle, the very next morning the girl’s parents received a proposal from a suitable boy! Lo and behold, the wedding was fixed within a week and solemnised within a fortnight as the groom had to fly back to the US! </p>.<p>Of course, my aunt and her colleague marched back into the astrologer’s office with their hearts full of gratitude and a box full of sweets. Far from being happy that his prediction came true, the astrologer wasn’t too pleased; in fact he was upset as the women had refused to take his hint and buy the expensive gemstone from his ‘exquisite’ collection. Unmindful of the astrologer’s discomfiture, they thanked him from the bottom of their hearts and perhaps left the astrologer upset and wondering about his business prospects if others came to know that a Rs 10 ring could do the miracle. </p>