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.'
