The Bombayite: The most sensational Indian magazine for broadminded friendships and contacts

Well-placed independent businessman in dire need of a dominant, broad-minded female to command him......""Fair, tall, good-looking, independent frank lady in her 40s feeling lonesome. Would like decent, dignified male, ageplace no bar. This active female also welcomes females and couples for week-ends, outings, etc.....""Young, active, well-placed pair interested in meeting broadminded, fun-loving couple....."September issue of Bombayite and sample adsAdvertisements such as these have so far been the exclusive preserve of the more liberated West, where aptly-named "contact" magazines catering to lonely salesmen in a strange town or those whose interests extend to kinky sex, proliferate in sleazy bookstalls. Not any longer. For the last three years, India has unobtrusively been producing its own home-grown variety for local consumption and has, in that time, amassed a fairly enviable and presumably satisfied following.The advertisements reproduced above are straight from the pages of the latest issue of The Bombayite, India's only contact magazine which, as its name suggests, is produced from Bombay by an enterprising Sindhi businessman.The Bombayite, a quarterly which calls itself "The Fun One, the most sensational Indian magazine for broadminded friendships and contacts," is still a rather lukewarm imitation of its more kinky and blatantly sexual brethren in the West, but is however, suggestive enough to light little flames of interest among its growing readership.One positive indication of that is in the wording of the advertisements which have been growing progressively bolder with each issue. The latest issue, for instance, caters to a wide range of tastes and most of the advertisements contain strong sexual undertones.In fact, a clinical analysis of the various types of advertisements would, in some measure, also indicate that Indian society's sexual mores are fast changing, at least in a free-wheeling metropolis like Bombay.There are, significantly, a number of ads inserted by young "liberated" couples looking for a more adventurous life-style and though the word "wife-swapping" is discreetly avoided, it is certainly implied. Proclaims one such ad: "Beautiful charming young doll, 28, broadminded, liberal and adventurous with free and frank attitudes teamed up with very well-off handsome Indian businessman who is generous and fun-loving. Both would love to hear from broadminded, happy-go-lucky couples of similar age. Discretion and confidentiality assured."Or one that is more interestingly worded and states: "Very attractive broad-minded fun-loving couple wish to meet similar couple for fun. Also ladies and gentlemen for threesomes. Four are fantastic but whoever says three is a crowd...?" Another goes on to say: "Liberal young couple of free frank attitudes would like to meet all fun-loving malesfemalescouples. She is a very lonesome housewife, he is a very busy well-placed executive."In Thing: While wife-swapping or group sex may be the latest in thing among laid back Bombayites, one significant feature of the magazine is the number of advertisements put in by single or married females looking for male company. Says one: "Well-placed beautiful married lady in mid-30s would like discreet broadminded intimate friendship. Would like your telephone number." Says another: "Free, frank fun-loving 28-year female wishes to have intimate personal friendship with male up to 45, local or visitors to Bombay. Discretion essential. Good Times." Then there is a rather aggressive one from a "Single, very lonesome broadminded lady, fun-loving liberal. Fair and beautiful too. Would love to hear from all males. Any age for true close intimate personal friendship. Let's get going." There are also ads for females with rather special tastes.A number of ads are from lonely liberated women seeking contact with other lonely liberated women. Says one such ad: "Young, 36 years unique broadminded housewife with very special interests would like to hear from other broadminded liberal females for close intimate personal friendship. With no bars....."Predictably, the majority of the ads are from males, describing themselves as a combination between Robert Redford and Burt Reynolds, seeking female company on quickie visits to Bombay. According to the magazine's editor, Kishor Meswani, a lot of his clientele are Arab tourists. Says Meswani, "Tourists in the city are always very lonely, so they are very appreciative of finding a companion in the city, which they can do through the magazine."Limited Supply: One deterrent, however, is the magazine's relative unavailability and its high newsstand price of Rs 15. It is only retailed through a limited number of outlets and some of the more seedy hotels frequented by Arabs. The issue carries around 10 pages of personal advertisements and, for those who are willing to pay extra, their photographs as well.The first page of the magazine contains an index to the coding of certain frequently-used words like Broad-minded (BM). Intimate (Int) and carries no commercial advertisements at all. The rate for a confidential ad up to 30 words is Rs 30 ($5 for foreign advertisers) while an ad with an "eye-catching border" is Rs 30 extra. The magazine first hit the stands in June 1979 but with very little initial impact. Says Meswani with a suggestive snigger: "I was in the pen-friendship line for over a decade but I found that people preferred face to face contact so I started the magazine to give them a chance for personal contact."By the end of the first year, circulation had crawled up to 1,000 copies. By the end of 1980, it had doubled and according to Meswani's editorial in the latest issue it is now 3,000 though he claimed later it is actually closer to 5,000. Circulation started climbing after Meswani launched an aggressive and titillating advertising campaign earlier this year in Bombay dailies.Apart from the personal ads, the editorialising leaves much to be desired but it is obviously destined to monopolise what is a very specialised market, specially considering there is no competition on the horizon.Lately, a growing number of foreign advertisers have surfaced, mainly Indians based in the Middle East who would like a warm hearth and generous hospitality waiting for them in Bombay after their months of abstinence in the desert sands.But the direct benefactors of Meswani's brainchild are mostly local Bombayites looking for a good time without any strings attached. Except, of course, the Rs 15 that they pay out for an address or a telephone number which could lead nowhere, or just about anywhere.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 4, 2013 13:36 IST--- ENDS ---

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The Bombayite: The most sensational Indian magazine for broadminded friendships and contacts

The Bombayite, a quarterly which calls itself "The Fun One, the most sensational Indian magazine for broadminded friendships and contacts," is still a rather lukewarm imitation of its more kinky and blatantly sexual brethren in the West.

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