When Ranjish Manjeri, a 34-year-old photographer from Manjeri in Malappuram district, posted a matrimony ad on Facebook, little did he know he would be inundated with proposals from around the world.
“A marriage has not been fixed for me yet. If you know anyone, please let me know. I’m 34 years old. I will need to see the person and like her. I have no other conditions. Job: Professional Photographer . Hindu. Caste is not an issue. My family includes my father, mother and a married sister,” he wrote.
എന്റെ കല്യാണം ഇതുവരെ ശരിയായിട്ടില്ല, അനേഷണത്തിലാണ്. പരിചയത്തിലുള്ളവരുണ്ടെങ്കില് അറിയിക്കണം. My number: 8593917111. എനിക...
Posted by Ranjish Manjeri on Friday, 28 July 2017
After years of failed attempts to find a bride through matrimonial sites and relatives, Manjeri turned to Facebook on the advice of a friend.
His Facebook post went viral within days and has collected over 4000 shares, 1000 comments and 16,000 reactions since July 28. While some wished him luck, others came forward to help him out.
“An American scientist has come with a proposal. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll fix it with a photographer,” wrote one social media user.
“This is a good idea, I don’t see anything wrong with it. I pray for god to bless you,” wrote another.
As the post included his phone number, Manjeri says he has been receiving calls and messages from interested people from around the world.
“Except for half-a-dozen mischievous calls, all were serious enquiries. Families called from India, Australia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the US,” Manjeri told the Khaleej Times.
“Some were enquiries for girls falling in my age group. Some were divorcees. I must admit that to choose from hundreds of proposals will give me a hard time. I have given people my WhatsApp account to send photos and details,” he added.
When asked if he will consider a foreign alliance, he said, “I am not averse to foreign girls. But I need to weigh the pros and cons, especially language. I am the only son. Sister is married with an 18-year-old daughter. So no big baggage of responsibilities.” Manjeri added he hopes his “initiative would encourage other youths to realise the power of social media”.