The Electric New Paper :
Your niece is too ugly for our handsome son
Family in US calls off marriage in India and sues matchmakers
THEY described their son as handsome and personable, so
Massachusetts couple Vijai and Lalita Pandey expected a good match
for him.
09 July 2006
THEY described their son as handsome and personable, so
Massachusetts couple Vijai and Lalita Pandey expected a good match
for him.
But the arranged marriage between their 37-year-old son, Pranjul,
and a prospective bride in India fell through because they
considered her too ugly.
Now, the father has filed a civil suit against the couple who set
up the matchmaking effort, reported the Newhouse News
Service.
Mr Pandey, 60, is claiming US$200,000 ($319,000) in damages from Mr
Lallan Giri and his wife Kanti, charging them with fraud,
conspiracy and violation of civil rights resulting in emotional
distress. The Kantis are from Maryland.
The lawsuit states that it was the Giris who proposed a marriage
between Mr Pranjul and their niece in India.
Mr Pandey said he and his wife pointed out that their son is
handsome, personable and speaks English.
They then asked if the young woman was 'equally beautiful... and a
good match'.
The lawsuit said the Pandeys were assured that she was a comparable
match and would learn English.
It added that the Giris also agreed to compensate the Pandeys for
'everything' if their niece was found to be unsuitable.
The Pandeys received a photo of the prospective bride, but said
they couldn't tell much from it.
LONG PHONE CALLS
They were then caught up with long telephone calls to India to make
arrangements for the wedding.
They also sent money for the woman's passport, preparing for her to
move to the US after the wedding, court documents state.
Last summer, Mrs Pandey and her daughter, Pramila, travelled to
India with groom-to-be Pranjul to finalise the marriage.
They met the prospective bride, together with her mother and
sister, in New Delhi, and decided to call off the marriage.
The lawsuit said they were 'extremely shocked to find... she was
ugly... with protruded bad teeth, and couldn't speak English to
hold a conversation'.
Mr Pandey also blamed the woman's complexion for the broken
engagement.
He said in his lawsuit that he asked the Giris for the compensation
they promised, because they knew all along that the young woman
'was homely and unsuitable, and no match for Pranjul'.
The Giris declined.
When contacted last week, Mr Giri would only say: 'We plead not
guilty, 120 per cent.'
