Ludhiana, Dec 8:

Talk to Ludhiana lasses, and they tell you that some guys of the city think the world about themselves, as if they are God’s gift to women. But peep into the world of eves, and you learn that our sprightly lasses follow the mantra of Yeh Dil Mange More when it comes to selecting a prospective husband or even a steady guy.

Preeti, Pooja and her friends give you a thumbs-down when you ask them about the city guys as their prospective life partners. The reasons, they claim, are manifold. ‘‘Unlike in the past, the girls have come out of their veils and now prefer to move on,’’ says Meena Mehra, a career woman.

Interestingly, the present generation of the girls do not lag behind when it comes to exercising their choice. As Veena Gupta, a college-goer, says, ‘‘I feel that the people of Ludhiana are very orthodox and that’s the reason I prefer guys from Delhi or Mumbai. I believe in candidness which should be coupled with lots and lots of masti. This is precisely what the Ludhianvi guys lack.’’

Some girls do not date and the reason they cite is the issue of privacy. They feel that Ludhiana is a small place for dating and one could easily come across acquaintances. So, what’s the fun, they say, with everyone watching you so closely.

Says Priya Verma, ‘‘I am a girl who wants to befriend a lot many boys. For the sake of one’s reputation, it’s better to date with a guy who is not from your city.’’

Surprisingly, Ludhianvi girls prefer relationship with people not in their own city as they feel that such relationships are comfortable to handle. Nonnu Arora, a girl in her early 20s, opines, ‘‘I feel that distance and absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think that its better as men folk usually crib on all trifle issues when they are around. So, if they are far away, then they won’t get a chance to crib. And that’s the reason I am dating with a Londoner.’’

The girls also feel that men in Ludhiana are very well educated as it is primarily an industrial city. Mohini Gina, a mother of two daughters, feels, ‘‘I am proud that both my daughters are highly educated and I am sure they will do very well in their lives. But I would like to marry them off to guys in foreign countries as I feel they can keep my daughters happy.’’

However, some feel it’s better to have one’s daughter married off in a in known families rather send them abroad just for the sake of it. The grass is not always green on the other side as Ruhani Lora, a career woman, testifies, ‘‘I had the worst experience in my life and had to go in for a divorce because I could not cope up with the vast difference of culture and distance from my near and dear ones.’’ Sukhpreet Kaur aptly puts it, ‘‘Life’s greatest necessity is to be happy and this is what everyone wants. The city girls too want to explore the world and have loads of fun and frolic.’’ (Express News Service)