A couple of weeks ago I ordered this fab little handbag from the the Hunger Site (have you clicked today?). It’s made by women in India from recycled plastic bags, so it’s both durable and eco-friendly, as well as cute as all get-out.

It was shipped directly from India, apparently, because the packing material wrapped around it was part of an issue of the Hindi Times. Olof and I unfolded and uncrumpled the pages and spent some time leafing through them, commenting on the articles we could read (about half was in English, half in Hindi). The pages we had–opinion and entertainment sections and the personal ads–were an interesting mix. Among various ads for cars and tires and heating systems were a concert review for Megadeath, some Hollywood gossip, pictures of midriff-baring Indian starlets, and an article decrying the “devaluation of women” in Indian society. It all seemed very modern.

Then I turned to the personals section, which was headlined “Matrimonials,” with the sub-headings “Grooms Wanted For” and “Brides Wanted For.” The ads were grouped according to caste or religion or profession (there was a special section for doctors), and they were placed by families who sought, for instance, a “QLFD match 4 slim fair b’ful girl” or a “professionally qualified, beautiful, tall, fair alliance … for extremely handsome, smart convent educated boy” (a “boy” aged 29 years, that is). I was fascinated and horrified in equal measure.

I have to admit, I’m almost tempted to buy something more from India, just to try to get another issue of this paper. I would love to get the “hard news” section and see what that’s like. I can’t help but wonder if the ads for arranged marriages are an anachronism, or if the chatty, superficialness of the entertainment pages is but a veneer. Probably it’s a combination of the two, or something else entirely. I think I’ll have to do some more research.