Byomkesh Bakshi, the fictional detective created by Saradindu Bandopadhyay, had once told his friend, Ajit, that if he really wanted to know what was going on around him, then he should pay close attention to advertisements in the morning daily. He was not entirely wrong. Advertisements may not say anything about the events of the last 24 hours, but they do give a clear idea about the nature of society. This is particularly true of matrimonial columns.

And the picture of society that emerges from these adverts in vernacular dailies is far removed from the perception that Bengali society has travelled far, and it is no longer what it was a few decades back. Here, one is talking of the middle and the upper middle class, as the poorer sections do not yet have the means to advertise in or even buy a newspaper. Also, it has to be borne in mind that it is the middle class which really matters in any exercise to comprehend the mental state of a people. It is this section that remains the determining factor in social matters.

What is the mental state of the Bengali middle class? Despite claims that the Bengali bhadralok is far more liberal than Indians elsewhere, advertisements in general seem to indicate that this is far from the truth. The Bengali, who turns up his nose at ‘casteism’ in other states, becomes a casteist himself while inserting an ad for a suitable bride for his son. He has no qualms about stating that the prospective bride should belong to his own caste — Brahmin or Kayastha mostly — secure in the knowledge that his action will not be discovered as there is only a box number that accompanies such advertisements. Of course, there are also insertions which claim that the advertiser is not averse to inter-caste marriage. But these are fewer in number. When it comes to ‘arranged marriages’, parents, as a rule, do not wish the purity of their caste to be sullied.

These men and women are in good company though. Even Rabindranath Tagore, who had urged Brahmins to “cleanse their hearts and hold the others by hand”, had ensured that his sons-in-law came from his own community. Perhaps, his illustrious father would not have allowed a departure and the poet could not have lost sight of the fact that it was he who would be footing the bill. But then, both father and son were members of the Brahmo Samaj and considered themselves to be the epitome of liberalism. So when it comes to marriage, the ancient pulls of caste still remain strong, and not only in Bihar alone.

Obscurantism remains equally strong a force. As Bengalis grow stronger materially, so also deepens their belief in stars and planets that are supposed to guide their lives. Advertisements for marriage often specify the gan and rashi of the young man, making it apparent that only responses from those born under the corresponding zodiac sign will be considered. This continues in an age when men and women are walking in outer space. One also gets to hear of science clubs and societies, but there is no doubt about the fact that these organizations have a long way to go before they attain all-round success.

Then there is also the attitude towards women. Many of the bridegrooms on offer are divorcees, but the advertisements almost always insist that they were not responsible for causing the earlier break-up. The implication is that it is the woman who is always responsible for a split. Such a mindset does appear strange, considering the clamour created by women’s activists. The reality seems to suggest that the latter are fighting a losing battle. Incidentally, why should a young adult, whose first marriage had ended in failure, still want to go through the uncertainties of a second arranged marriage? Is it the lure of a fresh dowry?

Dowry, of course, finds no place in the advertisements, not in so many words that is. Yet, its presence can always be felt. In some of the adverts, families declare that they do not want anything, thereby hinting at the fact that there may be others who would make such demands. Many advertisements underline the financial status of the family, and go on to add “only those in similar position need apply”, thereby implying that the applicants should be capable of meeting the demands.

So what is new? What new world could giants like Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and Raja Rammohun Roy create for posterity? What 19th-century Renaissance do we talk about? Unfortunately, Vidyasagar today is only associated with the annual Vidyasagar Mela at Birsingha. As for Rammohun Roy, one does not quite remember his name coming up even when the media carried detailed reports on how Roop Kanwar had become a sati in the Eighties. Both he and Lord Bentinck have streets named after them in Calcutta, as does Vidyasagar.

Yet, it is also true that Bengali society has also produced men and women of great eminence. Hence, the only conclusion that one can draw is that their outlook and attitude must have differed from the rest of their brethren, as well as from that of their countrymen. A majority of our countrymen remain immersed in a dark past, as evident from the pujas and yajnas that are organized regularly by even prominent city dwellers during troubled times.

Bengal is no different. The present dispensation in the Writers’ Buildings may think that they have been able to usher in a different culture. But the rulers are mistaken in their belief. In their hearts, they also know that they have failed in achieving their objective. These people have not been able to gather courage and take the non-populist path. Neither have they asked the people to break away from tradition. Everybody keeps hailing ‘Bengal’s tradition’, but few seem to realize that as far as the basics are concerned, most of the Bengalis are hell-bent on clutching on to a faulty past. Such an exercise is quite futile, and it does not bring any glory to those who continue to do this.

Even with his book fair, his art films, his theatre, the average Bengali is no different from those who are a subject of his contempt, although the latter may seem a little more brazen than he is. What he does not seem to realize is that he is sailing in the same boat as they are, a slow boat to nowhere.