In Delhi, thankfully, the male species is surviving and very visible unlike the good old tiger in Ranthambore and Sariska. But this survival comes with its own perils. The average male is hunted with almost Veerapan-like ferocity and now there is a layering of art to it. For gender clarification, this piece is about women hunting men and not men hunting men which is also true of Delhi but a fact quite alien to me. And in true cosmopolitan style, all kinds of men are hunted: those in Parliament and those outside; those in Government and those outside; heirs to thrones and mere heirlooms; from the ones who are old and rich to those who are young and may well become rich. Over the years, the process of hunting men has undergone a qualitative leap: it is no longer an engagement between the hunter and the prey but involves families, hostile corporate takeovers and even some quaint political mergers. Which for Delhi is a good thing because suddenly the aggression associated with the North Indian male is gently getting transferred to the not-so-genteel woman.
I have attempted to capture the various kinds of hunts: none of which would endanger you like Salman Khan but would only bring you closer to the social bone in Delhi as it were. There is also a style that of late has become so worthy that it is now replicated with ease and vigour. So let's take you down a journey of hunting men that would make Corbett turn in his grave.

THE SOCIAL HUNT
This by far is the most regular and the reasonably secure. The prey is well known. The families have seen the boy 'grow' up: whatever that means in Delhi and what they do not mention is they have also seen his wealth increase. This is a hunt that often ends in marriage (as most social hunts are supposed to) and eventually leads up to a smashingly high-decibel media divorce and if you are lucky, to a tame reconciliation. We in Delhi are now so used to this that we have stopped introducing couples as couples because you never really know their status in life! This hunt is characterised by the ubiquitous common kitty party or for that matter irrelevant and highly dull social chatter and almost everyone in the world knows that the hunt is taking place: even the hunter and prey pretend but then that is part of social graces that hunters of this variety must display. You must be desperate but never eager: now try and figure this one out! The whole process of wooing is laden with goodies which may well include an SLK or for that matter a company so that the boy can do something on his own. Which means he is such an utter jerk that he will need hand-holding all his life. The girl doesn't prey on the man: she preys on his whole family and depending on how wealthy or how good-looking she is, she can tilt the economics to her liking. If she is pretty, then being poor is an advantage. If she is plain, then a great balance sheet is a must. All social hunts in Delhi start in five-star environs and end there. Often in something as unclassy as a coffee shop but there you go.