Before Hinge and Shaadi.com, There was Sharma Ji: The Early Days of Indian Matchmaking

Before swiping right on a dating app, a brief scroll on the dating site can reveal a lot about a prospective partner. From height and political orientation to relationship goals, contemporary online dating offers users a streamlined view to filter human connections. But before websites and apps, organized matchmaking was already a thing. For many Indian families, there was a familiar Sharma Ji who seemed to know someone suitable for marriage. Beyond him, different parts of India had their own ways of connecting families, keeping track of family trees, and finding suitable partners within their communities. From the Panjikars in Mithila to the Ghataks in Bengal and the Vahivanca Barots in western India, information about marriages was passed down through generations. Technology has changed how we get this information, but have people's priorities really changed? 

Before online profiles, there were actual records. In Mithila, the Panji tradition linked family history directly to marriage. Panjikars, who were like official family historians, kept records of family lines and relationships. Families would consult them when thinking about marriage. The Saurath Sabha, a traditional marriage gathering in Bihar, brought families together in one place to discuss marriage. The Panji wasn't just about keeping old records; it made family history important for future decisions. Marriage possibilities were tied to questions of ancestry, extended kin networks, and social standing. 

The Panji system: Mithila’s centuries-old records of family histories and lineages. Source: ETV Bharat

Bengal had a similar system with the Ghataks. These traditional matchmakers acted as go-betweens for families. They used their knowledge of different households and social circles to help find potential matches. Their value came from knowing the people behind the names. They could share information between families and help navigate the social expectations around getting married. 

Lots of families still rely on personal connections and recommendations when choosing a spouse, largely because these methods build a sense of trust that current apps often lack. Dating apps tend to be for casual relationships, while traditional intermediaries and family networks are still the go to for serious marriage decisions. 

In western India, the Vahivanca Barots kept genealogical records in books called vahi or bahis. While different regions had different customs, the main idea was the same: marriage partly depended on knowing a family's background and their connections to others.

These systems worked well in places where people, families, and communities were closely connected. But as people moved to cities and countries, and family structures changed, that environment shifted. When families moved away, the person who used to know everyone in the community couldn't be the only source of information anymore. This brought up a new question: how could marriage information be managed when the community itself was spread out?

Matrimonial platforms offered one solution. It turned the information that used to be held by people or written in books into searchable data. Instead of going to a Ghatak, families could look through profiles. Instead of asking a genealogist, people could enter their preferences and compare potential matches over a much wider area. This change was huge in terms of both scale and speed. But it didn't mean that older social considerations just vanished.

A matrimonial app isn't just a digital Panji or Ghatak. They do different things. Still, all three serve a similar purpose: making information about potential families easier to find when considering marriage. The old ways relied on people's memories, community ties, and physical records. Modern platforms use databases, profiles, and digital searches.

What's interesting is what still shows up in the new system. Users can still see categories related to community, religion, location, education, job, and family. Technology has made searching faster and broader, but it hasn't automatically removed the social preferences people have when it comes to marriage. This makes it tricky to say that technology has simply replaced tradition. It might be more accurate to say that technology has reorganized the framework through which traditions can continue.

So, the history of matchmaking in India isn't just about old ways disappearing and new ones taking over. The Panjikar had the Panji. The Ghatak had community networks. The Vahivanca Barot had the vahi. Today's user has a profile and a database. 

The way matchmaking works has evolved, covering more ground and moving at a quicker pace. However, the fundamental need to gather information before making a marriage choice hasn't changed. It might be more accurate to say that India hasn't stopped needing matchmakers; rather, the role has been divided among families, databases, online platforms, and algorithms.