9-day groom market where women go to buy bachelors
A market where bachelors gather in wait for women to buy and make them their husbands has sparked reactions online.
Educational qualifications and family background determine how a man is priced, and women, accompanied by their families, storm the market to browse through the men before deciding which one suits their specifications.
The groom market, located in Madhubani district, India’s Bihar state, is called Saurath Mela or Sabhagachhi.
Men reportedly gather under pipal trees in the local market for nine days for spinsters to make their selections.
The annual tradition, which is reported to have been ongoing for over 700 years, was allegedly started by Raja Hari Singh of the Karnat dynasty to help women find the right husband from various backgrounds.
It is reported that engineers, doctors, and government employees are the most sought after, and they impose heavy dowries on the families of any woman who wants to buy them, although payment of dowries is banned in India.
The family of the woman takes charge of the deal, and she hardly has a say in the choosing and buying of the bachelor, because the family has to strike a balance between suitability and affordability.