From a distance one will mistake him to be a pizza boy. The huge boxes in the rear and front of the scooter give that impression. But, up close, the impression goes for a toss. No, the boxes don’t hold hot yummy pizzas but contain equally sizzling stuff — data about scores of wannabe brides and grooms.
Mohd. Shahid Farooqui is a match-maker on the move. His two-wheeler is eagerly awaited by people in the Old City as it is a harbinger of good tidings. Mr. Farooqui carries in it dozens of files containing the photos and bio-data of young boys and girls.
What is striking is his scooter. The boxes attached to it carry his name and telephone number in bold letters. The operating hours are mentioned ‘11 a.m. to 11 p.m’. And the bottomline is – ‘bachelors only’. The Matchwell Marriage Links of Mr. Farooqui is in business since 1995. But so far, he has helped 138 couples tie the nuptial knot. Many factors account for the alliances not clicking or breaking off at the last moment. “ Koshish hamaari, kismet tumhaari”, remarks Mr. Farooqui, meaning people’s likes and dislikes matter though he makes sincere efforts on his part.
He offers several types of services. For poor Muslim girls and physically challenged persons, it is absolutely free. Families which do not want to stir out can seek alliance through the postal service. Here, all details and photos are exchanged through post.
In the self-service, the parties are provided the address and telephone numbers after which they have to deal with each other. There is also a special home service wherein Mr. Farooqui doesn’t mind making any number of trips to the houses of boys and girls till the marriages fructify. In the face to face package families are brought together for talks. Those seeking an alliance for the second time need not despair. This match-maker comes to their rescue too, but he expects them to spell out clearly why the first marriage went on the rocks and other such details. Of course, each service comes with a price and it depends on the financial status of the families. But for white card holders, Mr. Farooqui charges only Rs.300.
However, the match fixing comes with a rider. No dowry, strictly. “I don’t arrange alliances where jehez is demanded,” says Mr. Farooqui. He can be reached on phone 9948488514.
–Agencies