E-Paper
Indian man regrets revealing 60 LPA at family gathering, asks why salary talk feels so casual
A man posted on Reddit that his uncles casually asked about salary, savings and marriage plans during what was meant to be a simple family party.
An Indian man has taken to Reddit to express his discomfort over how casually relatives bring up salary and personal finances during family events.
From birthday cake to salary talk
The Reddit user shared that he had recently attended a small family gathering at Suraj Vihar for his cousin’s son’s second birthday. “It was a pretty normal setup. Just close family, food, casual conversation,” he wrote. However, within minutes of exchanging greetings, one of his uncles leaned in and casually asked, “Toh beta, abhi kitna kama lete ho?”
Initially, he tried to dodge the question with a vague reply, saying, “Bas pet paani ho jaata hai uncle.” But the conversation did not end there. His uncles teased him about his belly and cheeks before pressing him further. “Somehow maybe out of social pressure or just not wanting to make things awkward I ended up telling them my salary. I said I make around 60 LPA. It just slipped out, and I immediately regretted it.”
From congratulations to interrogation
What followed, he said, was a sudden shift in tone. “One of them got really cheerful, congratulated me, and fed me a gulab jamun saying, ‘Muu meetha karoo beta!’” But the sweetness quickly gave way to a barrage of questions.
“They asked how much I save, where I invest, whether I own a flat or rent, what car I drive, if I plan to go abroad, and finally one even asked about marriage prospects saying, ‘Beta, ek ladki hai. Bahut acchi hai. Shaadi ka socha hai kya?’”
The man described feeling cornered and uncomfortable. “How did we go from a child’s birthday party to an impromptu financial review and potential arranged marriage pitch?” he wondered.
Reflection on boundaries
Despite the awkwardness, he admitted he did not think his uncles were being deliberately invasive. “In their minds, I think this is how they show interest. Maybe it’s even pride. But at the same time, it just made me feel deeply uncomfortable.”
He went on to reflect on how such questions reveal cultural attitudes. “Salary, finances, marriage all topics that most people would consider private are brought up in the middle of a family event without any context. If you try to avoid answering, you’re seen as rude or evasive.”
Check out the post here:
Reactions online
The post, titled “Why is it so normal for Indian uncles to ask about salary like it’s casual conversation?”, prompted reactions from other users.
One commented, “So they can calculate the amount of respect they should give to you.” Another added, “They only do it to confirm their son or daughter earns more than you. This is one of their ways to satisfy their small little egos.”
A commenter shared their own strategy, saying, “Next time just say nahi bataunga. I did this and the questions stopped.” Another remarked, “Just salary? They ask about age, marital status blah blah blah.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
