Now this aspect is certainly not unique to Sri Lanka, but it definitely needs to be commented on.
The stages of life are strictly defined into birth, attending montessori (kingdergarten), attending school, getting good grades in O'Levels, getting good grades in A'Levels, doing higher studies (engineering or medicine preferred - but if you can't get into these areas, computing, marketing and accounting are acceptable alternatives), getting a job, getting married, having kids, and then it becomes your responsibility to ensure that your kids follow the same stages in their life too.
Getting married - easier said than done here for a particular reason. Although it is now more relaxed, parents seem to panic when they find out that their offspring is dating. No matter how suitable the partner, their first reaction is to find something wrong with that person. Their next reaction is to find somebody else for their kid. That's when the marriage proposal circus starts.
Of course there are other avenues leading up to this eventuality. The son or daughter may have been so sheltered that they need their parents to find someone for them, and so on. But what I want to talk about is the process of marriage proposals.
It all starts with a paper advertisement in the 'Sunday Observer' stating the proposed's age, caste, religion, qualifications and/or profession. Anyone interested writes in to a mailbox number giving their details (a horoscope is usually sent as well cause Sri Lankans are really keen on letting the stars govern pretty much a very large extent of their lives)and at the end of every fortnight these replies are delivered to whomever posted the ad. Photographs are asked for and horoscopes are compared. Sometimes the parents also use the services of a marriage broker (yes there is such a profession).
If the horoscopes tally (ie match), and the photo is suitable, a meeting is arranged where the guy goes with his parents (usually taking cake) to see the girl at her house. Award moments abound where the parents assess each other and their children. Then the parents move off somewhere else for a while to give the guy and girl a little bit of time to 'get to know each other'. Traditionally a meal was given at the girl's house but this does not happen that often anymore. The initial meeting lasts for a couple of hours.
Then the parties go off and the parents question their child as to whether they like the person or not. If the answer is yes on both sides, more time is given for the couple to get to know each other better and a wedding is arranged.
I personally have gone through this and the experience was far from pleasant. Stay posted for the details.
