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The Marriage Bureau for Rich People (The Marriage Bureau for Rich People #1)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 1,895 ratings · 524 reviews

Alexander McCall Smith meets Jane Austen in this delightfully charming Indian novel about finding love.

What does an Indian man with a wealth of common sense do when his retirement becomes too monotonous for him to stand? Open a marriage bureau of course!

With a steady stream of clients to keep him busy, Mr. Ali sees his new business flourish as the indomitable Mrs. Ali and...more

Hardcover, 293 pages

Published June 11th 2009 by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam (first published January 1st 2008)

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Oct 07, 2010 Rhea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiksi, punya, 2010-read, box-hijau

Ceritanya ringan dan datar, tapi cukup menarik. Kasta di India menurut saya seperti ibarat agama bila di Indonesia, bayangkan saja, untuk menikah kebanyakan dari mereka memilih jodoh dari kasta yang sama, sama seperti di negara kita, jika kita menikah bukankah kita juga menginginkan orang yang seiman. Hanya saja bedanya, agama bisa berpindah-pindah sesuai kehendak masing-masing orang, sedangkan kasta tidak bisa karena kasta diperoleh dari keturunan. Hah!!, betapa repotnya.

Bicara soal biro jodoh...more

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Jun 22, 2010 Nilam Suri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pop, romance

Buku ini memberi saya cara pandang baru dalam melihat kebudayaan India, yang selama ini hanya saya lihat secara sekilas dari film-film Bollywood.

Masyarakat India memiliki pandangan yang cukup konservatif dalam memandang pernikahan, bahkan anak yang mencari sendiri jodohnya dianggap kurang ajar,dan melanggar tradisi.

Dan bagi mereka, jatuh cinta dilakukan setelah menikah. Menikah karena cinta dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang memalukan. Lucu juga ya.

Buku ini mengambil point of view Mr.Ali, seorang pe...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Smita Beohar rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-indian-authors

This book topped the list of ‘Page Turners to pick up in 2009’, published by Hindustan Times. The article said ‘Set in an Indian Marriage bureau and billed as Jane Austen meets McCall Smith, the book is charming, funny and acutely observed.’

Author: Farahad Zama

Publisher: Abacus

Price: 295/-

I grabbed the book as soon as it was out, did it meet the hype & my expectations?

Read on!

Mr. Ali, freshly retired doesn’t know what to do with his time. He has been interfering with his wife’s daily routine...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Δx Δp ≥ ½ ħ htgkvkkviholmvobsvzighxofyyzmw rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-day-in-the-life

Buku ke-8993

Pertama, covernya cantik. meski warnanya (merah hati tua) kurang pas, seharusnya lebih cerah, tapi gambar dan lay out hurufnya ciamik banget. bahkan, jika dibandingkan dengan cover dr buku luar, kayaknya yg edisi terjemahan lebih maknyus.1 bintang

kedua, judulnya juga menarik. "Biro Jodoh Khusus Kaum Elite". Ternyata kesulitan mencari cinta tak hanya dialami orang miskin, orang kaya yang mestinya tidak mengalami kesulitan mencari cinta (baca: pasangan). kata siapa uang bisa membeli se...more

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Mar 17, 2010 Endah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buntelan-dari-penerbit

Farahad Zama, satu lagi penulis India yang sukses setelah hijrah ke Barat (London). Pria kelahiran Vizag, India, ini sewaktu masih di tanah airnya bekerja di bank. Lalu, kariernya membawanya mendarat di London yang kemudian menjadi tanah airnya yang kedua.

Tampaknya, pergi dan menetap di Barat, merupakan impian kebanyakan orang India, seperti digambarkan dalam film/novel The Namesake karya Jhumpa Lahiri, penulis India lainnya yang telah lebih dulu menuai sukses di Barat (Amerika).

Tetapi, walaup...more Farahad Zama, satu lagi penulis India yang sukses setelah hijrah ke Barat (London). Pria kelahiran Vizag, India, ini sewaktu masih di tanah airnya bekerja di bank. Lalu, kariernya membawanya mendarat di London yang kemudian menjadi tanah airnya yang kedua.

Tampaknya, pergi dan menetap di Barat, merupakan impian kebanyakan orang India, seperti digambarkan dalam film/novel The Namesake karya Jhumpa Lahiri, penulis India lainnya yang telah lebih dulu menuai sukses di Barat (Amerika).

Tetapi, walaupun mereka telah berpindah kewarganegaraan, cerita-cerita yang mereka tulis selalu berakar pada kebudayaan asal mereka, meskipun seting kisahnya di luar India.

Novel The Marriage Bureau for Rich People adalah contoh mutakhir yang saya baca. Farahad Zama menulis novel ini setelah ia menetap dan menjadi warga negara Inggris.

The Marriage adalah sebuah karya pop yang cukup kaya. Ia sebuah novel cinta berlatar kultur India. Melalui tokoh utamanya, Mr Ali, seorang muslim India yang membuka biro jodoh di masa pensiunnya, Farahad Zama memebeberkan persoalan di tanah airnya yang kompleks. Bukan hanya sekadar urusan kultur dan agama, tetapi juga masalah sosial politik.

Menarik. Dalam kemasan karya pop yang gurih dan segar ini, Farahad Zama berhasil meramu berbagai topik dan informasi menjadi sebuah kisah yang cukup padat gizi.

Ia menuturkan bahwasanya dalam kehidupan masyarakat sebuah kota kecil seperti Vizag, dua orang tetangga yang berbeda agama, Islam dan Hindu, bisa hidup rukun berdampingan. Seandainya kedamaian itu bisa terjadi dalam skala yang lebih besar lagi (kehidupan bernegara), mungkin India akan bebas dari huru-hara yang disebabkan perseteruan abadi Islam-Hindu.

Farahad juga mengisahkan, bahwa dalam masyarakat yang sama pula masih terus berlangsung tradisi dan kepercayaan lokal menyangkut kasta dan adat istiadat. Misalnya saja, ternyata bahkan di zaman modern ini, urusan jodoh masih diatur orang tua. Jika seorang anak yang memilih jodohnya sendiri tanpa campur tangan orag tua, anak tersebut akan dianggap sebagai anak yang tak tahu adat. Apalagi jika sampai berani menikah dengan pasangan yang berbeda kasta atau agama. Selamanya ia akan dikucilkan oleh keluarga besarnya.

Tetapi, saya rasa, melalui karyanya ini, Farahad justru ingin menyampaikan gagasan bahwa sudah tidak masanya lagi urusan jodoh diatur orang tua, walaupun secara eksplisit dia sepakat sebaiknya memang menikah dengan orang dari kasta yang sama. Barangkali untuk menghindarkan masalah kelak.

Mr Ali dan biro jodohnya menjadi tokoh sentral tempat segala konflik berlangsung, seperti sinetron "Losmen" di TVRI yang sangat terkenal dua puluh tahun lalu. Di losmen milik Pak dan Bu Broto itu, pemirsa menyaksikan segala macam persoalan tokoh-tokohnya. Dan di losmen itu pula, masalah diselesaikan.

Sebelum tulisan ini berakhir, saya ingin mengutip sebuah kalimat cantik di halaman 440 buku ini yang patut dicamkan oleh pasangan yang akan dan tekah menikah: Kasih sayang antara mereka tampak jelas di mata semua orang. Berdasarkan pengalaman, Mr. Ali tahu bahwa cinta romantis ini hanya akan berumur beberapa tahun dan mereka harus mencari jalan lain untuk langgeng seumur hidup...Saya sepakat, Mr. Ali :)***

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Feb 15, 2010 indri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: ayu yudha

Recommended to indri by: lulu rahman

Shelves: asia-land, a-gift

#2010-13# hadiah dari lulu

Bagaimana mencari jodoh yang sesuai dengan keinginan anda?

Salah satu caranya adalah melalui biro jodoh. Di India, untuk agama Hindu dengan sistem kastanya, agak sulit menemukan calon mempelai yang benar-benar sesuai. Perjodohan untuk menemukan kompromi yang terbaik. Humor-humor cerdas yang diungkapkan dalam buku ini datang dan pergi, dijalin dalam sudut pandang keluarga Muslim India yang memiliki biro jodoh ini, namun mereka sangat berpikiran terbuka terhadap perbedaan...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Tze-Wen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: india

Zama's debut novel reads like a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice, but he takes us to the thriving East-Indian town of Vizag instead of a more Western setting. Although there is plenty of romance to go around, many other issues are slipped into the narrative to keep it from becoming just another chick-lit. And believe me, it really is more than that. Granted, the book doesn't offer any serious in-depth discussions of controversial (?) topics, but the clash of the traditional and the mode...more Zama's debut novel reads like a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice, but he takes us to the thriving East-Indian town of Vizag instead of a more Western setting. Although there is plenty of romance to go around, many other issues are slipped into the narrative to keep it from becoming just another chick-lit. And believe me, it really is more than that. Granted, the book doesn't offer any serious in-depth discussions of controversial (?) topics, but the clash of the traditional and the modern in Indian society are nevertheless made obvious. While the Alis themselves seem to breeze through their everyday existence (and therefore remain a bit two-dimensional), their Bureau and themselves form the nucleus around which the more interesting stuff revolves. Their son Rehman, a well-educated young man, has endless fights with his father; his parents plead him to find a good job and stop rallying against social injustice. Leela, their maid, has a sick grandson with a brain-tumor; she worries about finding the funds to pay for his operation. And let's not forget the Bureau's clientele, who face a multitude of problems.
I could really appreciate Zama offering his readers an insight to the craft of matchmaking and Indian weddings, Hindu (Brahmin) and Muslim in particular. Marriage problems in India, ones that I had not imagined, were readily discussed. Just to name a few: divorcees have a difficult time finding a new partner, young wives run the risk of being accused of bringing ill luck into their in-laws' house and love marriages (i.e. finding one's own partner instead of leaving the matchmaking to a respectable family member or a marriage bureau) is heavily frowned upon.
I was pleased that the novel features people with different religions and of different castes. The Alis are a Muslim household, but they accept the variety of backgrounds of their clients as a matter of fact. Still, a point of critique would be the author's readiness to smooth over any problems his protagonists encounter. I wonder whether Mr and Mrs Ali's common sense advice would really solve everything in real life?
Finally, there is no denying that this novel is an enjoyable and relatively easy read. If you prefer something that delves deeper into contemporary Indian society though, I recommend The Death of Vishnu and The White Tiger.(less)

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Feb 08, 2010 Felice rated it 3 of 5 stars

The brighter than bright cover of The Marriage Bureau for Rich People caught my eye immediately. Look at it. It's lovely. You aren't going to stumble across colors like that in any ho-hum world. It was love at first sight and interest soon after as I read the description. It wasn't purchase at first sight though. My cash once again went to my local.

How wonderful when my instincts are right. The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a delight with a conscience. Mr Ali has retired from the Indian civ...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Luqman Hakim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pertama2 kayaknya cerita ini berjalan lambat, tapi lama kelamaan mulai memaku kita untuk terus membacanya. Alur yang asik untuk dibaca sekali selesai. Ceritanya juga unik, saya tidak terlalu menyukai kisah percintaan, tetapi yang satu ini menawarkan sesuatu yang Beda!

ada banyak hal-hal yang dapat dipelajari mengenai sistem kasta di India, bagaimana India muslim memandang akan perjodohan dan sebagainya.

Buku yang asyik dibaca waktu senggang

Oh iya... Karakter2 di buku ini benar2 hidup!

salut!

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Sep 07, 2010 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this story. It was a gorgeous and fascinating slice of South Indian life. Particularly focusing on marriage and family relationships. I feel like I got a glimpse into what it would be like to be a woman in India. There were stories of hope and also some sad pictures of the harsh realities many face there, but overall an uplifting experience. The narration couldn't have been better. The musical lilt of Indian-accented English was so beautiful to listen to--it even seeped into my ow...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Bjorn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Mr Ali, a retired Indian civil servant, quickly becomes bored with not having anything to do and not being able to convince his son to give up his political rabble-rousing. So he decides to set up a marriage bureau to help both muslims, hindus and christians arrange their marriages. Since he's very good at what he does (apparently, all you really need to do is advertise), he soon has more business than he can handle on his own and hires Aruna, a young unwed hindu woman, to be his assistant. Arun...more Mr Ali, a retired Indian civil servant, quickly becomes bored with not having anything to do and not being able to convince his son to give up his political rabble-rousing. So he decides to set up a marriage bureau to help both muslims, hindus and christians arrange their marriages. Since he's very good at what he does (apparently, all you really need to do is advertise), he soon has more business than he can handle on his own and hires Aruna, a young unwed hindu woman, to be his assistant. Aruna's family is too poor to be able to marry her off, which seems to doom her to eternal spinsterhood, but then a rich young doctor walks in looking for a wife, and...

...You know where this is heading. Really, you do. The Marriage Bureau For Rich People is a quick, easy, sympathetic read, but also painfully predictable and clichéd. Its main selling point seems to be exotism; Zama spends pages at a time describing how someone ties a sari, how to cook binyari, excursions to picturesque temples, etc etc etc, all seemingly aimed at a reader who's never set foot in India.

Which is a pity, because there's some interesting stuff in here. The conflicts between traditional arranged marriage and encroaching Western values, between religions and castes, between globalisation and the good of the people, between men and women, between generations... it's all in the book somewhere, and at times I start suspecting that Zama is really going to sneak in some harsh questions under all the fluff. But time and again, it's all resolved by having Ali or Aruna or any of all the other oh-so-very-nice-and-wise characters say "compromise" a few more times. None of the alleged compromises really require anyone to give anything up or do anything except, well, say the word "compromise". Everything's resolved by all the characters realising that any perceived conflict really doesn't exist at all and that problems are all immediately solved by seeing the other person's side. Which is an admirable position, but he makes it far too easy for himself, especially when all that's left once the problems have all been proven to not exist in the first place is 260 pages of equal parts Visit India! and detailed descriptions of office work.

The Marriage Bureau For Rich People is desperately, unblinkingly, white-knuckledly feel-good. You'll breeze through it in a couple of hours, you'll think the characters are nice, India sounds nice, a curry would be nice, and all is well with the world, which is nice. Then you'll forget it. (less)

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Mar 03, 2013 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've been on a trend lately devouring every book I can about India.
This is a sweet, slow, good-natured book. It really gives a terrific sense of place - so many books could be set almost anywhere, but this story could have happened in no place but India. I could almost feel the heat coming up from the earth as everyone waited for the monsoons ...
This book also helped me understand quite a bit more about arranged marriages and caste systems - two ideas that are very foreign to me as an American....more

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Nov 04, 2012 Cora rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: india, asia

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a sweet novel about a retired government official in India who decides to set up a Marriage Bureau. He helps families find appropriate brides and grooms for their family members' arranged marriages. There are some side stories that help show other sides of modern day India, such as one about how his son has become an activist fighting for the rights of farmers against encroachment from industry and another about his assistant's troubles that stem from finan...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Delightful! It has been a long time ( The Thorn Birds in the Seventies?) since a book kept me awake until the wee hours of the morning just to finish it!

I picked this up on the suggestion of a local independent bookseller yesterday afternoon. I had finished it before I quit some ungodly hour of the night/morning. The reviews are pretty accurate -- rather a combination of Alexander McCall Smith's Precious in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and a superficial Jane Austen take on marriage custo...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Reinita Afif Aulia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Reinita Afif by: ulinnuha

Shelves: borrowed, romance, fiction

Jujur, di bagian depan buku ini nggak membuat saya semangat baca. Entah mengapa, kerasa aneh saja dengan bahasanya yang nggak menerjemahkan "Mr." dan "Mrs." di sepanjang buku, soalnya biasa diterjemahkan sebagai "Tuan" dan "Nyonya".

Mr. Ali, pensiunan pegawai negeri (dijamin nggak bakal lupa, diulang terus sampe belakang!) membuka usaha biro jodoh karena stress terlalu banyak menganggur. Dimulai dari iklan di koran, usahanya makin lama makin maju. Nah, buku ini isinya tentang klien-klien Mr. Ali,...more Jujur, di bagian depan buku ini nggak membuat saya semangat baca. Entah mengapa, kerasa aneh saja dengan bahasanya yang nggak menerjemahkan "Mr." dan "Mrs." di sepanjang buku, soalnya biasa diterjemahkan sebagai "Tuan" dan "Nyonya".

Mr. Ali, pensiunan pegawai negeri (dijamin nggak bakal lupa, diulang terus sampe belakang!) membuka usaha biro jodoh karena stress terlalu banyak menganggur. Dimulai dari iklan di koran, usahanya makin lama makin maju. Nah, buku ini isinya tentang klien-klien Mr. Ali, kehidupan Mr., Mrs. Ali, dan putranya (pemimpin demo? provokator?) Rehman, dan kehidupan Aruna, si asisten biro.

Pendapat pertama saya setelah membuka buku adalah si margin yang mengganjal. Sepertinya kok marginnya terlalu gede buat buku selebar itu. Tapi seperti kata orang, tak kenal maka tak sayang, jadi mari kita lanjutkan. Bahasanya juga terasa agak mengganjal di bagian depan.

Soal "Kaum Elite" ini juga bikin saya penasaran, soalnya walaupun banyak yang minta calon dari kasta yang sama, perasaan nggak ada yang ditolak karena nggak masuk 'kaum elite'. Apakah itu hanya nama saja ataukah ada info yang terlewat oleh saya?

Selain kasta yang jadi kriteria utama mencari jodoh, saya juga jadi tahu kalau mencari calon sendiri itu dianggap mencemarkan nama baik, dan cinta dianggap tumbuhnya setelah menikah. Jadi, perjodohan di kalangan Hindu itu wajib hukumnya.

Soal pembebasan lahan, petugas polisi, dan korupsi-korupsi yang terjadi, saya jadi teringat negeri saya sendiri dan tersenyum miris. Keadaannya bisa dibilang hampir sama. *ngumpat dalam hati*

Saya bukan penggemar India, yah, nonton aja nggak pernah, jadi nggak akrab sama budaya India. Tapi saya tahu prosesi perkawinannya itu sangat "eh". Apalagi bagian depan, Si Ram harus pura-pura nggak mau kawin, mau jadi pertapa aja, terus harus diyakinkan sama keluarganya si cewek. "eh" banget.

Nah, bagian favorit saya adalah lamaran Aruna, saya tertawa ngglinding-ngglinding. Maksa banget ini cowoknya, sumpaaaahhh... Dan habis diterima, saya bayangin Si Ram dan Aruna muter-muter nari dari kebunnya Mr. Ali ke padang rumput nggak jelas di mana..
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Sep 26, 2011 penelopewanders rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rings-rays-loans-traded, contemporary

A bit of an adventure with this book - I signed up a spiral of sorts and they arrived from South Africa in the wrong order, having taken (presumably) the scenic route getting here. So I was keen to begin this, enjoying anything related to India and that part of the world. I was a wee bit disappointed, however, as I felt this was unpleasantly similar to The Ladies Number One Detective Agency, simply set on a different continent, with (mainly) a male hero. (Although one could plead that Mrs Ali an...more

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May 15, 2011 Tiffany rated it 2 of 5 stars

The story itself is very simple, it plods slowly along, character and story arcs are set up slowly and only start to get interesting about halfway through. I have a feeling it would have worked better as a series because the business at the marriage bureau felt very episodic in nature, we work through various grooms one by one. It can get tedious if you don't have patience for slice-of-life stories.
The writing itself is also very straightforward, I would beach or airplane reading at best. The...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Retnadi Nur'aini rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rezeki, jodoh, maut ada di tangan Tuhan. Tentu saja, ini merupakan aksioma--suatu kebenaran yang tak terbantahkan. Namun, karena dalam agama Islam Allah juga menganjurkan umat-Nya untuk berikhtiar, maka kita juga harus berupaya menemukan jodoh kita dan tidak duduk duduk diam saja berpangku tangan.

Salah satu bentuk ikhtiar yang diyakini Mr Ali, seorang pensiunan Muslim di India, adalah dengan membuka biro jodoh. Dengan memanfaatkan ruang iklan surat kabar, setumpuk kartu pos, dan beranda rumahnya...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels

I knew nothing about this book prior to picking it up, but I gather that it was marketed as being in the vein of The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series (which I love). If that's the case, then for once the publisher's comparison is fairly apt. This gentle book is about a retired Indian civil servant who establishes a marriage matchmaking service on the veranda of his house in order to pass the days, and it's very similar to the Ladies No. 1 series -- albeit without any crime. The story feature...more

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Jul 04, 2010 Meagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, book_club

This is a sweet, gentle and funny story set in India, and the characters are whole point of the book. Mr. Ali is a retiree with too much time on his hands, and he has decided to start a marriage bureau to fill that time. Mrs. Ali is his supportive wife, who is happy that the marriage bureau will get Mr. Ali out from under her feet. And finally, Aruna is the poor but educated girl who helps Mr. Ali at the bureau.

The book is taken up by the stories of the characters looking for brides or grooms fo...more

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Jun 10, 2010 Miz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When Mr. Ali finds retirement to be less than thrilling, he decides to fill his days by running a matchmaking service to help arrange marriages. As the service grows, so does the breadth of the story. Whether helping a clueless client understand how best to present himself or arguing with his wife over the behavior of their activist son, Mr. Ali's finding retirement less than relaxing.

Though the book is an easy read with a happy ending, it touches on a number of interesting themes in an easy ha...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Jenny Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say, the book fooled me a bit; I thought it would be more literary, but really, by the end, it was a basic chick lit romance. However it was so cleverly disguised in the society and cultures of India that I was seduced.

Mr. Ali is retired and decides to supplement his pension by opening a marriage bureau for arranged marriages. His assistant is a young woman whose family is unable to afford a wedding for her, so she must remain unmarried. Mr. Ali has a son who is involved in protests, c...more

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Jul 09, 2009 Medbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

With The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, Mr. Zama brings the reader into the colorful world of present-day India, where some marriages are still arranged and caste and/or religion can still be a factor in deciding a good match.

Our protagonist, Mr. Ali is retired and his retirement has begun to weigh on both him and his wife. To fill out his free time, he opens a marriage bureau. This will function as a time saver and be more discreet for those who would like to advertise for a match for themsel...more With The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, Mr. Zama brings the reader into the colorful world of present-day India, where some marriages are still arranged and caste and/or religion can still be a factor in deciding a good match.

Our protagonist, Mr. Ali is retired and his retirement has begun to weigh on both him and his wife. To fill out his free time, he opens a marriage bureau. This will function as a time saver and be more discreet for those who would like to advertise for a match for themselves or their children. Mr. Ali will do the advertising, screen the replies, and start a sort of "club" with a large base of eligible matches. It seems like a good idea, and it is. After a few months, his Marriage Bureau for Rich People is boomimg and his free time is free no more--from one extreme to another!

With Mrs. Ali's help, he hires a very pleasant, respectable young woman, Aruna, to help him as secretary and her story is added to the threads of the plot. Along with Aruna's very interesting story is that Mr. and Mrs. Ali with their son and several side stories of clients that lightly touch the main stories.

To begin with, The Marriage Bureau for Rich People is a bit slow, and feels as if the author is trying too hard. It is easy to see, in the first pages, that this is his first novel. But as it progresses, it becomes a charming, lovely little story with the feel of a Jane Austen novel. It is refreshing and a delight to the senses; it is also a pleasure to learn so much, in a positive manner, about caste and religion in present-day India. Reading about the marriage ceremonies was a pure delight.

I will be honest, I do not like romance novels, but the romance that was gradually slid into this novel was similar to that of my favorite author, Jane Austen, so I was pleased with it, and not annoyed.

Over all, despite it's slow start, I found this a delicious little book and give it a high recommendation. I had to give it only four stars, instead of the five stars that it emotionally elicited, due to the slow start and sometimes not perfect writing. I do hope to see more from Mr. Zama, as he has a wonderful way of bringing the reader into his world.(less)

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Feb 09, 2010 Uci rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buntelan-penerbit, dari-penulis-penerjemah-editornya

Untunglah saya tidak lahir dan hidup di India! Itu pikiran pertama yang melintas saat membaca buku ini. Kenapa? Duh, mau kawin aja ribet banget! Nggak heran jika Biro Jodoh Khusus Kaum Elite yang didirikan Mr. Ali setelah dia pensiun, laris manis.

Bayangkan, menikah atas dasar cinta itu tercela hukumnya! Jadi kalau mau menikah, jodohmu harus dipilihkan oleh keluarga atau mak comblang atau yah...pemilik biro jodoh. Karena banyak sekali yang harus dipertimbangkan. Kasta, penghasilan, jumlah anggota...more Untunglah saya tidak lahir dan hidup di India! Itu pikiran pertama yang melintas saat membaca buku ini. Kenapa? Duh, mau kawin aja ribet banget! Nggak heran jika Biro Jodoh Khusus Kaum Elite yang didirikan Mr. Ali setelah dia pensiun, laris manis.

Bayangkan, menikah atas dasar cinta itu tercela hukumnya! Jadi kalau mau menikah, jodohmu harus dipilihkan oleh keluarga atau mak comblang atau yah...pemilik biro jodoh. Karena banyak sekali yang harus dipertimbangkan. Kasta, penghasilan, jumlah anggota keluarga, kemampuan menyediakan maskawin, dan sebagainya dan seterusnya. Pokoknya dijamin nelangsa kalau kamu tipe orang yang gampang jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama ^_^

Nah, di sela kesibukan mengurus biro jodoh serta klien-kliennya yang beraneka ragam, Mr. Ali harus menelan pil pahit saat menghadapi putra tunggalnya, Rehman, yang seorang aktivis. Sementara Mr. Ali menasihati para calon mempelai agar mendapat jodoh dan kehidupan yang mapan dan bahagia, dia malah selalu ribut dengan Rehman karena pemuda itu menolak kehidupan mapan dan memilih untuk berjuang membela petani miskin yang tertindas perusahaan multinasional bermodal besar.

Dalam menjalankan usahanya, Mr. Ali (bersama Mrs. Ali, karena pasangan suami-istri yang bijak dan baik hati ini bagaikan satu paket), dia dibantu oleh Aruna, gadis sederhana berhati mulia yang bekerja untuk membiayai keluarga. Sehari-hari mengurus perjodohan dan pasangan hidup, siapa sangka ternyata Aruna juga memiliki masalah sendiri dalam hal percintaan. Dan sebagai orangtua yang baik, tentu saja Mr. dan Mrs. Ali turun tangan agar asisten mereka itu juga bisa berbahagia seperti klien-klien mereka.

Novel perdana Farahad Zama ini bisa dibilang sangat ringan. Jenis bacaan menyenangkan yang enak dinikmati di sore hari yang sejuk sambil minum teh dan makan kudapan (siap-siap menghadapi deskripsi makanan dan kue-kue India yang akan membuat mulut berliur). Ditulis dengan mendetail, kita seakan ikut merasakan suasana nyaman di rumah Mrs. dan Mr. Ali, warna-warni kain sari yang dipakai wanita India, serta percakapan di antara mereka yang penuh sopan santun dan kerap mengundang senyum. Nuansanya sedikit mengingatkan saya pada serial Kantor Detektif Wanita No.1 karya Alexander McCall Smith.

Sebagai putra India, Farahad tidak mengesampingkan keprihatinannya terhadap masalah-masalah sosial di negerinya seperti kemiskinan, korupsi, diskriminasi terhadap perempuan, sampai diskriminasi kasta. Namun sesuai kemasannya yang ringan dan menghibur, masalah-masalah tersebut ditampilkan dalam novel ini secara 'jenaka' dan dijamin tidak memacu debar jantung. Namun cukup terperinci untuk membuat pembaca menyelami seluk-beluk kehidupan masyarakat India yang unik.

Bagi pembaca yang realis/skeptis, mungkin akan sedikit mengerutkan dahi membaca sekelumit Kisah Cindrella yang terlalu-indah-untuk-menjadi-kenyataan dalam novel ini (kisah siapa? silakan dibaca sendiri kalau ingin tahu). Tapi Farahad dengan lihai menuliskannya tanpa berlebihan dan menurut saya itu adalah cara dia untuk menunjukkan bahwa di tengah hiruk-pikuk perjodohan yang ribet dan sering memakan 'korban', ternyata CINTA tetap ada dan bukan sekadar legenda.

Salut untuk terjemahan yang sangat mulus dan kover yang cantik!(less)

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Aug 02, 2009 Sheela rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: south-asian

This novel, which is about an old man in India starting a marriage bureau to keep busy in his retired life, was bland and boring. Though set in modern day, the story and the plot lines were old-fashioned and didn't keep up with the current times. The one story line that illustrated the emergence of a new generation of Indians was not explored well enough. The writing was repetitive and written as if the story was translated from another language into English. The author was trying to focus on th...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Milli Thornton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book started out feeling like a disappointment. The exotic and colorful cover illustration, plus a blurb that implies Mr. Ali of the marriage bureau will be "intrepid" and "engaging," led me to expect a book with lots of spice. However, the author's writing style was so restrained and sedate, it took a long time for me to feel like the story had even started. For quite a ways into the book it was more like reading an account of the daily activities of a household that happens to have a litt...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Ali rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Marriage Bureau for Rich people, is set in modern day India, in a South Indian town among a Hindu and Muslim community. At the centre of the story is Mr and Mrs Ali, the muslim owners of the marriage bureau, and Aruna the Hindu assistant they hire. The Ali's have a son involved in political protest, who they worry about, while Aruna's family argue about the difficulty of Aruna marrying, due to their extreme poverty. Marriage and romance is at the heart of this novel, and the adorably wise Mr...more

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Apr 14, 2010 Lilyrose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, everything-india

Retired Mr Ali from Vizag in south India, has a lot of time on his hands and is often bored. He starts a marriage bureau to keep him busy and it becomes quite a success. Aided by an articulate assistant Aruna, with loads of advice and help from his wife, Mr Ali helps several people with their own whims and fancies to find the right match.

Farahad Zama has written a book that is easy to read and will leave you feeling happy and comforted, with a smile on your face. This is so well-written a book t...more Retired Mr Ali from Vizag in south India, has a lot of time on his hands and is often bored. He starts a marriage bureau to keep him busy and it becomes quite a success. Aided by an articulate assistant Aruna, with loads of advice and help from his wife, Mr Ali helps several people with their own whims and fancies to find the right match.

Farahad Zama has written a book that is easy to read and will leave you feeling happy and comforted, with a smile on your face. This is so well-written a book that it brings Indian society to life on the pages and you feel like you're living in the same neighbourhood as Mr Ali and are very concerned about everything around you. Zama's writing reminded me of Alexander McCall Smith's in the sense that it captures the essence of life in a particular place so vividly and realistically.

A book beginning with a Pride and Prejudice quote has to be good, my instinct said and I was absolutely right! The Marriage Bureau showcases the working of an Indian society where arranged marriages have to be made with loads of compromise to satisfy all sides, as much as possible. A marriage in India, isn't at all simple. It is the meeting point of several major issues like caste, religion, status, profession, status of women etc and this book explores all of it in a simple, sensitive way and is a wonderful portrait of India as I've known it. This is a great quote from the book that explains it so well:
" India was changing and his success was one sign of it. A fly on the wall of his office might think that Indians were obsessed with caste and that nothing had changed in a hundred years. That's not true, thought Mr Ali. Marriage was one institution where caste was still important, but in other matters it was losing its hold. People of different castes went to the same schools and offices; they mingled and became friends with each other. Just a few years ago, people of lower castes, or Muslims for that matter, would not have been invited to weddings of upper-caste people. Today, it went unremarked. India was changing and Mr Ali just hoped he would be around for a while to see the changes "

There are two sub-plots linked to the main plot; one was that of Aruna's love story, which though predictable was something I really enjoyed. The other was Mr and Mrs Ali's son Rehman, who as a social activist, leads protest marches, rallies and gets arrested, much to the worry of his parents. He sees his duty to his parents as secondary to his duty towards his country and its poor. This plot-line seemed a little forced, but it still didn't hamper the flow of the book.

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People, simply put, sees the proverbial half-full glass, that is life in India. This isn't a perfect book, but it is a positive read with endearing characters: Mr and Mrs Ali especially are pretty much the 'nice Uncle and Aunty' you loved while growing up in India. And that way, I see this book as a tribute to India and the warm, unforgettable people who stay friends and care for each other beyond caste or religious or other barriers.

I'm looking forward to reading this book's sequel and I'd happily recommend this book to everyone. This is just the book you ought to enjoy on a weekend, with a warm cup of coffee by your side, while snuggling in your favourite couch. Have fun!(less)

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Mar 19, 2010 mina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sebenarnya review-nya 3,5 bintang.

Ini kisah Cinderella a la India, too good to be true, tapi membawa rasa hangat di hati *halah* Terus terang ya, buku ini membosankan luar biasa dan sangat lempeng sampai separo buku, sampai muncul tokoh cowok keren, Ramanujam. Saat itu barulah mulai menarik. Kalau separo buku awal aku selesaikan berabad-abad, maka separo buku terakhir hanya sekali libas saja.

Jadi separo awal buku bercerita tentang Biro Jodoh yang baru didirikan Mr. Ali, pensiunan, yang membuka...more Sebenarnya review-nya 3,5 bintang.

Ini kisah Cinderella a la India, too good to be true, tapi membawa rasa hangat di hati *halah* Terus terang ya, buku ini membosankan luar biasa dan sangat lempeng sampai separo buku, sampai muncul tokoh cowok keren, Ramanujam. Saat itu barulah mulai menarik. Kalau separo buku awal aku selesaikan berabad-abad, maka separo buku terakhir hanya sekali libas saja.

Jadi separo awal buku bercerita tentang Biro Jodoh yang baru didirikan Mr. Ali, pensiunan, yang membuka biro ini karena istrinya tidak ingin dirinya bosan tidak ada pekerjaan. Males banget gak sih, baca tentang biro jodoh. Setiap beberapa halaman ada klien baru, ada yang berhasil mendapat jodoh, ada yang tidak. Tidak tahu setting cerita ini jaman kapan, tapi mungkin jaman sekarang, ya, karena ada handphone. Tidak terbayang bahwa kultur India masih seperti itu: menikah karena cinta dan pilihan sendiri itu sangat memalukan bagi keluarga, menikah harus berdasarkan perjodohan yang diatur keluarga. Wow, sabar sekali. Masing-masing keluarga tidak sungkan-sungkan menyatakan jodoh yang diinginkan seperti apa, dan mereka tidak mau anaknya mendapatkan jodoh gak karu-karuan, diselidiki sampai ada wawancara diam-diam dengan para kolega kerja dan pembantu keluarga calon suami. Ingat juga bahwa di India, ada sistem kasta, dan mereka hanya menikah dalam kasta sendiri, kalau perlu dalam subkasta yang sama. Ternyata kasta ini ditentukan oleh pekerjaannya. Yang menyedihkan, para pekerja yang berurusan dengan mayat dan bersih-bersih kotoran, bahkan lebih rendah dari kasta Syudra, dan selamanya tersingkir dari pergaulan sosial. Keluarga Mr. Ali sendiri bebas dari kasta-kasta-an, karena mereka Muslim.

Tadinya sebal membaca cerita perjodohan ini, namun sesudah selesai membaca, entah kenapa, akhirnya jadi jatuh cinta dan sayang pada keluarga Mr. Ali, yang ternyata sangat hangat. Mr. Ali yang tadinya kuanggap sok tau ternyata sangat kebapakan dan humoris, memecahkan masalah dengan bijak, walau kalau berhadapan dengan anaknya, dia sangat emosional. Mrs. Ali yang sepertinya selalu ingin tahu segala ternyata penuh pengertian. Keluarga Mr. Ali punya masalah sendiri, tentunya, yang tidak diselesaikan dalam buku ini, curiganya ada sekuelnya.

Cukup menarik untuk membeli sekuelnya, kalau ada.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

This as straightforward a story as you can get: no frilly narration changes or magical realism here. But you do get an honest and lovingly detailed picture of a life in a big town on the southeast coast of India. More specifically, the reader becomes thoroughly educated about cultural values surrounding arranged marriage not just in India generally, but within various religions. I have read a great deal of Indian literature and while this book was not the most astounding, it was certainly the mo...more

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About Farahad Zama

Farahad Zama was born in Vizag on the Eastern coast of India in 1966. After obtaining a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Engineering at Kharagpur, near Kolkata, he moved to Mumbai to work for an investment bank. An arranged marriage to a Vizag girl soon followed. His career took him to New York, Zurich and Luxembourg and finally brought him to London for six m...more

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“There is no point in getting rich if we lose our soul along the way.” — 16 people liked it

“We struggle so much for money, power and love, but the world doesn't care. It just goes round and round in its own circle” — 9 people liked it

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