From meeting your prospective-would-be with flowers and gifts to lounging over coffee with someone you're attracted to, the dimensions of dating have undergone a radical change over the years.
Now, dating does not necessarily indicate commitment or a serious relationship.
How different is dating today?
"It's not really about boyfriends or girlfriends," says Radhika Pingale, a college student from Pune. "I would say it is about spending quality time with a person you find interesting and probably care about a little more than others. Yes, at times your attraction towards that person is rather high -- you might want to eventually look at a relationship. But one shouldn't assume that going on a date with a person means the person would be ready for a commitment."
While dating in India has traditionally been associated with two people seeing each other with the possibility of marriage as a backdrop, the scope seems to have broadened now. It is more about meeting to explore a relationship and knowing more about each other. It can boost an existing relationship, or initiate one.
Text: Rukmini Iyer
Images: Uttam Ghosh
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